I LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.? 

t iw *j 

< UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. J 




I 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT 



EGYPT, CONSTANTINOPLE, 

THE CRIMEA, GREECE, &c. 

IN THE 

SUITE OF THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES. 




HON. MRS. WILLIAM GREY. 



^ LONDON : 

SMITH, ELDER & CO., 15, WATERLOO PLACE. 
1869, 




[the right of translation is reserved.] 



TO HER ROYAL HIGHNESS 



THE PRINCESS OF WALES. 
Madam, 

I know not how sufficiently to thank your 
Royal Highness^for allowing me to dedicate my little 
book to you. It is 'another, added to the many 
kindnesses I have already received from you, and I 
am grateful from the bottom of my heart. 

Your Royal Highness cannot be more surprised 
than I am myself at seeing my Journal in print ! 

You know how, and when it was written, — that 
it was written from day to day, often under difficulties, 
as a record to myself of a very happy time, and which 
members of my family might perhaps like to see ; 
but, most assuredly, with no view to publication. 
In fact, till last Saturday, when I returned home 
from Sweden, I had not the slightest idea of its being 
printed. I had left it with my brother-in-law, General 
Grey, when I went abroad last July, asking him 



iv 



merely to correct some of my Swedish mistakes of 
grammar, in case I should wish to copy it out more 
fairly for my family, but it never entered my head 
that he would do more than this. Your Royal 
Highness will not therefore wonder at my being 
surprised, when the first thing given to me, on my 
arrival at St. James's Palace, was a parcel carefully 
sealed up, with a letter, of which I copy an extract, 
as the best explanation of the way in which my 
Journal has come to be printed. 

" You will be surprised," the General writes, " on 
your return home to see the shape your journal has 
taken — that it is actually in print ! Yes, without 
consulting a living soul, or even waiting for your own 
consent, I have taken it upon myself to have it 
printed. 

* * * * * 

" I hope you won't be vexed. You will see in 
the Title Page that it is only ' Privately Printed ' — 
not even for what is called 4 Private Circulation ' — in 
fact, there are as yet only three copies : one for your- 
self, one which I thought you might like to give the 
Princess, and a third which I hope you will allow 
me to keep. No one has the least suspicion of what 



I have done ; nor have I myself seen the little volume 
since it was put together. It rests, therefore, entirely 
with you to decide whether it shall go further. I 
cannot myself see why you should not publish it 
almost just as it is. I was myself extremely interested 
by your accounts of all you saw and did in the East, 
particularly by the description of your visits to the 
harems of the Sultan and Viceroy, and others, and 
of your memorable dinner with ' La Grande Prin- 
cesse ' at Cairo, and I cannot doubt that others would 
be equally so. On this, however, you may like to 
have a less partial opinion than mine. 

" As to the Journal itself, you will see how scru- 
pulously I have adhered to your own expressions. 
I have sometimes had to alter the arrangement of a 
sentence, and to correct little mistakes in small words ; 
but further than this I have made no change what- 
ever — neither adding to nor altering, in any way, 
what you had yourself written. 

" Forgive me, then, if I have done what you would 
not have consented to had you been asked before- 
hand. 

" I thought this probable, and so did not ask you. 

" &c. &c. &c. 

" Windsor Castle, November 25, 1869." 




The General has since been very urgent with me 
to publish ! And — to make a long story short — I 
have been, what many people will think, weak enough 
to agree to his wish ! Of course, I am nervous about 
it ; but I am somewhat encouraged by your Royal 
Highness's kind permission to dedicate it to you. In 
fact it can have no interest, except in so far as it is 
connected with your Royal Highnesses. 

I know well, dear Princess, how indulgent your. 
Royal Highness and the Prince of Wales will be to it ; 
and I do hope that it may at least serve to recall to 
you and the Prince the recollection of many pleasant 
scenes and events, and of what was to me, owing 
entirely to both your Royal Highnesses' invariable 
kindness to me, a most happy time. 



I remain 



Your Royal Highness's 

Most devoted and affectionately 
attached Servant, 



THERESA GREY. 



Marlborough House, December 4, 1869. 





CONTENTS. 



CHAP. PAGE 

I. Sweden — Copenhagen — Berlin — Vienna, and 

Embarkation and Voyage in "Ariadne"..... i 

II. Arrival at Alexandria — Cairo 16 

III. Voyage up the Nile 38 

IV. Between the Cataracts 67 

V. Return Voyage down the Nile 95 

VI. Cairo „ 112 

VII. The Suez Canal— Return to Alexandria 136 

VIII. Constantinople , 150 

IX. The Crimea 172 

X. Athens and Corfu — and Return Journey Home 190 




JOURNAL OF A VISIT 



TO 



EGYPT, CONSTANTINOPLE, 

THE CRIMEA, GREECE, &c. 



SWEDEN— COPENHAGEN BERLIN VIENNA, AND 

EMBARKATION AND VOYAGE IN " ARIADNE." 

HAVING obtained leave from the Princess to spend 
the summer with my parents in Sweden, I sailed in 
the Hero from Hull, for Gottenburg, on Saturday 
morning, the 18th of July, 1868. General and Mrs. 
Grey, with two daughters, had promised to come 
a fortnight later to pay me a visit at my own home, 
which promise was fulfilled, and a very happy seven 
weeks we had all together at Elghammar. 



CHAPTER I. 



1 




2 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



On the 14th of September they left it to return 
to England, it being my intention, when they left, 
to follow in about three weeks ; and after a little 
time spent with my eldest brother, lately appointed 
Swedish Minister at Copenhagen, to return to Eng- 
land towards the end of October. 

These plans were, however, all upset by a letter 
from the Princess, in which she told me that she 
wished me to accompany her on the tour she pro- 
jected with the Prince of Wales to the East, and to 
join her at Copenhagen in the beginning of January ; 
and that in the meantime I might remain quietly — 
which she knew would be a pleasure to me — with my 
father and mother in Sweden. This was too tempting 
an offer not to be eagerly embraced, and accordingly, 
after six months spent happily with my dear parents, 
I left Stockholm at 6 P.M. on the 10th of January, 
to join her Royal Highness at Copenhagen. At five 
o'clock I went to say good-by once more to my dear 
mother and brother, who were neither of them well 
enough to come to the station, to which my father 
and many friends accompanied me to see me off. 

The weather was dull, but very mild (8° Cent, 
above o) ; and being 17 in the railway-carriage, all 
the precautions against cold, of fur cloaks and wrap- 
pers, were quite unnecessary. At 11 P.M. I arrived 



ARRIVAL AT COPENHAGEN. 



3 



at Elmhult, where I was delighted to find a clean 
and warm bed. 

The next day, January n, I started at 8.45 for 
Malmo, where I arrived at one o'clock, and took the 
boat that left for Copenhagen at two, which latter 
place we reached by four o'clock ; the sea as calm 
as possible. 

My brother met me on landing with his carriage, 
and at once took me home to his house, where he 
had tried — and certainly with complete success — to 
make me comfortable ; and here I spent four very 
happy days with him. 

January 12. — Soon after breakfast I went to see 
my dear Princess, and to hear something of the pro- 
posed plans. I found her, as usual, most kind and 
affectionate, but very sorry that the few weeks she 
had been able to spend with her father and mother 
had come to an end. Her visit seemed to have 
been a great happiness to her. It is now arranged 
that we shall set out for our long journey on the 
15th, and that while I accompany her Royal High- 
ness as her lady-in-waiting, Lady Carmarthen and 
Colonel Keppel, who accompanied the Prince and 
Princess from England in November, shall part from 
us at Hamburg, and, with Sir W. Knollys, take the 
Royal children home. The plan is for us to pass 



4 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

by Berlin and Vienna, and embark on board the 
Ariadne frigate, fitted as a yacht, at Trieste ; sail 
from thence to Alexandria ; and, after going up the 
Nile as far as the Second Cataract, to visit Con- 
stantinople, the Crimea, and Greece, before return- 
ing home somewhere about the beginning of May. 
Such is the plan made out for us, but it is, of 
course, open to many changes, as the political state 
of things between Greece and Turkey at the present 
moment may, after all, very possibly upset the latter 
part of the journey ; and in that case we shall return 
home through Italy. 

We dined at the Palace, where I saw all the 
Royal family, who were most kind and gracious. 
Later in the evening I went to a reception at the 
Russian Minister's, Baron Mohrenheim. 

January 13. — In the morning paid some visits, 
and took a walk with my brother, with whom I spent 
the day, and dined alone at home, paying a quiet 
visit after dinner to a relation. 

January 14. — I had a long audience of the Queen, 
and later of Princess Caroline. 

We had some people to dinner, and at nine o'clock 
went to a ball at the Palace, from which we did not 
get home till three o'clock. 

January 15. — My last day with my dear brother, 



DEPARTURE FROM COPENHAGEN. 



5 



and though I looked forward with great delight to 
our Eastern trip, yet I felt quite sad to leave him, 
and my heart almost sunk within me at the thought 
of parting from all I love most in the world for such 
a long time. 

At 8 P. M. I joined the Prince and Princess at the 
station, to which they were accompanied by the 
King, the Queen, and the Crown Prince, who, together 
with their suite, and also the English Minister, Sir 
C. Wyke, and some other members of the Embassy, 
went with us as far as Korsoer. At the station a 
great many Danish officials, Foreign Ministers, and 
many members of society, had assembled to take 
leave of their Royal Highnesses. We arrived at 
Korsoer at eleven, and left again at twelve o'clock by 
the steamer Freya for Liibeck. The Danish Royal 
family took leave of us at Korsoer, and returned 
to Copenhagen the same night. After a very fair 
passage of ten hours, we arrived at Liibeck at half- 
past ten in the morning of January 16. We started 
at once by special train for Hamburg, where we 
arrived at 1 . 30 P. M., and drove to the Victoria 
Hotel. 

Our party, including the servants, was now forty- 
two in all. The weather much colder (5 Reaum.) 
and we saw ice and snow. 



6 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



We were all rather tired, and did not leave the 
hotel. We dined at seven o'clock, our dinner-party- 
consisting of ourselves, the Duke and Duchess of 
Gliicksburg, Princess Louise, and Prince Julius of 
Gliicksburg, and Mr. Warde, the English Minister for 
the Hanse Towns. 

January 17. — Got up early to see the Royal 
children off, who, under the care of Lady Carmarthen, 
Sir W. Knollys, and Colonel Keppel, left at 7.30 A.M. 
for England. At one o'clock we started by special 
train for Berlin, and arrived there at 7 P.M. We were 
received at the station by the Crown Prince and 
Crown Princess of Prussia, the English Ambassador, 
and Lady A. Loftus, and all the members of the 
Embassy, as well as by the Danish Minister, and 
many other persons belonging to the Government or 
Court. 

We were lodged (that is, the Prince, Princess and 
myself,) at the Crown Prince's palace ; the gentlemen 
of the suite, now consisting of Colonel Teesdale, 
Captain Ellis, Lord Carington, Mr. O. Montagu, 
and Dr. Minter, being put up at the King's palace. 
I dined in my own room, and went to bed early. 

January 18. — Went to pay some visits in the 
morning with Countess Hohenthal. 

Dined at five o'clock at the King's palace, and 



BERLIN. 



7 



after dinner went to the ballet of Sardanapahts, 
beautifully given at the opera. 

The weather very cold (8° Reaum.). 

January 19. — At one o'clock we went to the 
skating place near the " Forster Haus " in the Thier- 
garten, and remained there more than two hours. I 
and all the suite dined with Lord A. Loftus at five 
o'clock. At 9.30 there was a great ball at the King's 
palace, in the round white hall. It was very pretty, 
and the decorations of all the adjoining rooms very 
bright, and tastefully done. Came home at three 
o'clock. 

January 20. — Went out shopping early in the 
morning with my maid, and at one o'clock to a skating 
party at the same place as yesterday, where regimental 
bands played, and a breakfast was given by the 
King. It was a pretty sight, but for those who, like 
myself, did not skate, a very cold pleasure, though 
we were pushed about in small sledges. 

We dined at five o'clock at the Crown Prince's 
palace, and at seven o'clock went to the ballet, Flick 
and Flack. We returned home after it to change 
our dresses, and at eleven left Berlin by the ordinary 
train for Vienna, being accompanied to the station by 
the Crown Prince and Princess and their suite, and 
met there by the English Ambassador and the 



8 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



members of the British Embassy, the Danish Minister 
and his wife, &c. It was frightfully cold all night ; 
the thermometer in my carriage was below Zero 
Centigrade, and when I awoke in the morning I 
found a heap of snow on my feet that had come in 
through the window ! 

January 21. — Travelled all day. The weather 
bitterly cold ; (io° of frost, Reaumur.) 

Prince Teck joined us at Breslau at 7 A.M. 
We breakfasted at Oderberg, and arrived at Vienna 
at 8 P. M. ; and were met at the station by the 
Emperor. 

Drove straight to the Burg, where the Empress 
received us in the hall, looking beautiful, dressed all 
in white and diamonds. She was attended by Countess 
Konigsegg, the Princess Taxis, and Countess Hunyady. 
General Baron Schall, Count Bellegarde, and Baron 
Bechtelsheim, are appointed by the Emperor to be 
in attendance on the Prince and Princess during their 
stay here. The Prince and Princess have a splendid 
suite of rooms in the Burg. I, too, am very comfort- 
ably lodged. 

January 22. — The cold to-day is greatly in- 
creased, (14° Reaumur.) We spent all the morning in 
calling upon the Royalties : first, the Empress and the 
Dowager Empress ; then the Archduchess Sophie (the 



VIENNA. 



9 



Emperors mother), with arch-dukes and duchesses 
without end, whose names would be too long and too 
many to enumerate. 

The Prince and Princess dined at six o'clock with 
the Emperor and Empress (Familien Tafel), and all 
the suite with the household ; after which we went 
to the ballet Sprohfeuer at the opera. 

January 23. — As cold as ever. At twelve o'clock 
we started in four carriages, with six horses each, to 
pay a visit to the King and Queen of Hanover at 
Heitzing. They were most kind and amiable, as, indeed, 
they always have been to me ; and I thought it quite 
sad to see them in a position, and leading a life, so 
different from what we had witnessed when I went 
with the Prince and Princess on a visit to Hanover 
in 1864. 

We went thence to see the skating at the Schwar- 
zenberg Garten. We dined at six o'clock with the 
Emperor and Empress, and after dinner went to see 
Don Juan, not very well given. 

January 24. — Went at 11.30 to church at the 
English Embassy. Lunched with Lord and Lady 
Bloomfield, and afterwards went to see the skating. 
It was very cold, indeed — 15 of frost ! At six o'clock 
there was a great dinner at the Burg, a band play- 
ing all the time, led by Strauss. I went afterwards 



10 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



with Countess Konigsegg to the Burg Theatre, to 
see Donna Diana, which was rather amusing, and 
afterwards went to a small party at Countess Lariche's. 
I like all the people of the Court very much, — 
everybody was so kind to me ; and it touched and 
pleased me more than I can say, to see how every- 
body seemed still to remember dear William, of 
whom they all spoke with real regard and affection ; 
yet it is seventeen years since he belonged to the 
Embassy at Vienna ! 

January 25. — The Princess and I went out shop- 
ping together. Later, I went out again with Princess 
Taxis, and drove to the Promenade Prater. There 
was a five-o'clock dinner-party at Prince Augustus's 
of Saxe-Coburg, after which we went to the play to 
see Blaubart ; and at ten o'clock to a concert at the 
Emperor's, in the Burg, given in the " Alexander 
Zimmer." The music was beautiful, but the arrange- 
ment was quite new to me. We sat at small tables in 
the same room as the music, each person being told 
at which table they were to sit ; and between each 
piece of music different refreshments were brought 
in, ending, at last, with a real supper. No table-cloth 
was put on the table ; the plates were merely set 
before you, and the dishes handed round. 

January 26. — I went out early with Princess 



STRANGE FUNERAL CUSTOMS. II 

Taxis to see the church in the Burg where all the royal 
hearts are kept ! In a small corner of the church you 
look through some iron railings at a long row of silver 
urns, with inscriptions on them, which contain the 
hearts. The custom is, whenever a royal person dies, 
to take out the heart, and place it here ; the inside of 
the body being placed in another church, and the rest 
of the body in a third ! I confess that, in spite of 
the honour of being buried with royal rites, I should 
prefer, when I die, that my poor body should be left 
at peace. We then walked through a splendid winter 
garden belonging to the Burg, and afterwards went 
to the " Treasury," and saw most beautiful jewels, 
agates, crystals, and gems of all kinds. 

We also went to the Imperial stables, which are 
on a great and magnificent scale ; 500 horses, 600 
carriages, and so on. The Empress takes great 
interest in it herself, and they say she rides very 
well and a great deal. Some of the State coaches 
were beautiful, with paintings on them by Rubens. 
At two o'clock we went to the Burg, and I 
accompanied the Princess to a skating party at 
Princess Schwarzenburg's, for which she only returned 
just in time, having been with the Prince to pay a 
visit to the King and Queen of Hanover. 

Home to dress. The Prince and Princess dined 



12 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

at the Prince of Wiirtemberg's, and I with the Swedish 
Minister. At nine o'clock we went to a small evening- 
party at Prince Hohenlohe's, given on purpose to let 
the Prince and Princess hear the two brothers Strauss 
play on the piano. From thence I went to a ball 
called the " Picnic" ball, also in the Burg, given 
every week for a charitable object. The music was 
excellent, but it was not otherwise a pretty ball. I 
did not get to bed till two o'clock, with the pleasant 
prospect of getting up again in three hours to com- 
mence our long and cold journey to Trieste. 

Wednesday the 27th. — Up at five, and took the 
6.30 train for Trieste. The Princess's uncle, Prince 
Wilhelm of Glucksburg, the Prince of Lippe, and 
many members of the Court, as well as the English 
Ambassador and Danish Minister, coming to the 
station to take leave of their Royal Highnesses. The 
weather was less cold, and the day very fine and 
sunny, and I seldom saw anything prettier than the 
scenery we passed this day. The Alps on each side of 
us, with their tops covered with snow, and the sun 
shining on them, had the prettiest effect possible. 
The ascent of the Simmering is most curious ; the 
railroad goes in a zigzag line, so that after having 
left a station or a house to the right, we found it in a 
few minutes at a great distance below us on our left ! 



EMBARKATION AT TRIESTE. 



13 



At Gratz, Prince Teck, who had come so far with 
us from Vienna, left us. 

We breakfasted at Murzuschlag at 10 A.M., and 
dined at Steinbruck at 4 P. M., arriving at Trieste at 
9.30. We drove at once down to the Quay, and went 
on board the Psyche, Captain Sir C. Blackwood, 
which took us off to the Ariadne, Captain F. Camp- 
bell, which ship has been fitted as a yacht for the 
accommodation of the Prince and Princess during 
their tour in the East. 

As we left the Quay a few rockets were sent up, and 
the Ariadne was then lit up with red and blue lights, 
which had a very pretty effect. The sea was perfectly 
calm ; and the moon shining over the town, and on the 
distant snow-topped Alps, with the innumerable ships 
lying in the harbour, made it altogether a perfect 
picture. After we had all retired to our cabins, a fearful" 
fire broke out in some of the warehouses close to the 
Quay. I rather think that all our luggage, sent on 
before, had been kept in this very house till the 
morning of this day, when it was put on board the 
Ariadne. Thus we had a very narrow escape of 
losing all our property, which, considering where we 
were going, would have been very serious. 

January 28. — Weighed anchor at 9 A.M., and left 
Trieste in the finest weather possible. Our party 



14 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



now consisted of the Prince and Princess and myself, 
Colonel Teesdale, Captain Ellis, Lord Carington, 
Mr. O. Montagu, Doctor Minter, and Mr. Brierley, 
who had joined us at Trieste to accompany us during 
our tour, in order to make a series of sketches for 
his Royal Highness. 

The Ariadne, in reality a man-of-war, but for 
this occasion fitted up as a yacht, is most comfortable. 
The Prince and Princess have two large sleeping cabins, 
besides a large cabin for a sitting-room, and another 
for a dining-room. I have a charming cabin also, with 
a bath-room outside, and my maid next-door to me. 
In short, I think we were all much pleased with the 
accommodation and arrangement of what is to be our 
home, while at sea, for the next four months. 

All day running smoothly down the Adriatic. 
Passed Pola at two o'clock. 

January 29. — The wind right against us, and the 
weather squally and misty. Passed the island of 
Lissa at one o'clock. 

January 30. — My birthday, and I felt rather 
sad at being so far from those I love ; however, 
I felt that our thoughts met. In the evening a per- 
formance took place amongst the crew, of dancing, 
mesmerizing, &c. 

January 31. — Very fine weather, and quite calm. 



ARRIVAL OFF ALEXANDRIA. 



15 



Service at eleven o'clock ; which I heard from my 
cabin. We were all day running down the Albanian 
coast, which looked beautiful with the sun shining on 
the hills. Passed Zante at eleven o'clock, Navarino 
at two o'clock, and came later in sight of Cerigo. 

February 1. — Passed Candia, and had Mount Ida 
in sight all the morning till two o'clock. The weather 
was warm and fine and the sea very cairn. 

February 2. — -The weather is exceedingly fine and 
warm. At 5.30 we were 100 miles from Alexandria, 
off which we arrived and lay to, in the course of the 
night. 



1 6 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



CHAPTER II. 

ARRIVAL AT ALEXANDRIA CAIRO. 

February 3. — At 7 A.M. ' Colonel Stanton, British 
Consul-General in Egypt, and Sir Samuel Baker — the 
latter having come out on purpose to accompany the 
Prince up the Nile — came off to us where we were 
lying to outside the harbour, which we entered soon 
after they came on board. 

The first sight of Alexandria was really very 
striking. The weather, though cold, was very bright, 
and nothing could be more gay and interesting than 
the whole scene as we came into the harbour. The 
vessels in the port had all " dressed ship," as I had 
learnt to call it on board the Ariadne, that is, they 
were covered with flags from the top of each mast to 
the water's edge, and all saluted and manned yards ; 
while hundreds of boats of the most picturesque shapes, 
and very gaily painted, filled with black and bronze- 



LANDING AT ALEXANDRIA. 



faced half savage -looking people, dressed in the 
brightest Egyptian costumes, came out to see us, and 
pulled round the ship. I was immensely amused and 
interested by the sight. The band of the Ariadne, 
meanwhile, played on board ; and music, such as it 
was, in many of the boats, added to the effect. 

At eleven o'clock we disembarked under salutes 
from the A riadne and other ships, and from the shore, 
and were met on landing by the Viceroy's eldest son, 
Mehemet Taafik Pasha, as well as by numbers of 
officers and official persons of all sorts, in full uniform. 
The officers appointed to attend upon the Prince 
during his stay in Egypt — Mourad Pasha and Abdel 
Kader Bey — came on board the Ariadne before we 
landed. State carriages were provided for us in the 
railway, to which we walked up ; a regiment of 
Zouaves of the Guard lining the way up to the station, 
where there was a guard of honour. The number of 
people out to see us was enormous, forming, indeed, 
a regular wall of natives on both sides all the way up ! 
The effect of their beautifully bright dresses was very 
striking ; even those who were scantily clothed, or 
not clothed at all, having always some bright cap or 
handkerchief on their head, which gave them a bright 
appearance ; and I must say I was immensely struck 
by it all. At 3 P.M, we arrived at Kafr Zayat, 



1 8 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

and got out at the station to have luncheon, which 
was a grand affair ; and after it large pipes were 
brought into the carriage, and everybody smoked 
and had coffee. 

At five we arrived at Cairo, where we were received 
by the Viceroy ; the special train running through 
the public station to the Viceroy's private one, oppo- 
site the garden of Kazr-el-Nil. Their Royal High- 
nesses were also met here by Mrs. Stanton and 
General McLean, with his wife and daughter. 

The Viceroy and his eldest son took the Prince 
and Princess to an immense hall in the Palace, where 
I and all the suite followed, and were all presented 
to the Viceroy. We then went straight to carriages 
which were waiting for us in the large courtyard, — 
English carriages and horses, with postilions and 
liveries in the English fashion, — and then, with regi- 
ments of Zouaves drawn up all round, and an escort 
of Lancers following each of the first carriages, we 
drove to the Palace Esbekieh, which has been appro- 
priated co the Prince of Wales during our stay in 
Egypt. The Prince and Princess and the Viceroy 
were in the first carriage ; the young Prince and I, 
with Mourad Pasha, in the next, and so on. 

The Palace of Esbekieh is beautiful ; full of 
French luxury, but without the real comfort of an 



ARRIVAL AT CAIRO. 



19 



English house. The Prince and Princess have an 
immense bedroom, full of rich French furniture. The 
beds are very beautiful, made of massive silver, and 
cost, I believe, 3,000/. each ! My room is so large 
that even when the candles are lit, there might be 
somebody sitting at the other end of it without your 
knowing it. You could not even hear people speaking 
from one end to the other ! It is as high as it is long, 
with nine large windows. There is a beautiful silver 
bed ; a large divan (rather high and hard for comfort) 
round half, of the room ; a common writing-table and 
washhand-stand (put in all the rooms at the request 
of Sir S. Baker) ; a large sofa, and quantities of very 
smart chairs round the walls. The curtains and covers 
of the furniture are all made of the richest silk. Add 
to all this, one immense looking-glass, and you have 
the whole furniture of my room, which is more like 
a state drawing-room at Windsor, than a bedroom. 
All the other rooms are furnished in the same way. 

We dined at seven o'clock, after which we went 
into a very pretty drawing-room, where we had coffee, 
and then beautiful long eastern pipes were handed 
round, all the mouthpieces being of the lightest- 
coloured amber, and set with large rings of diamonds 
and precious stones ! The money spent on pipes in 
this country must be fabulous, and they say that in 



20 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

the Viceroy's treasury there are pipes the value of some 
of which amounts to no less than 6,000/. apiece ! 
I could not resist the temptation of following the 
example of the rest, as I thought smoking out of 
those lovely- pipes must be quite different from any 
other smoking ; but I am sorry to say I soon found 
the taste very like what it is elsewhere, and gave it 
up at once. In fact, I only tried it out of curiosity ; 
though I must confess I constantly had to accept a 
pipe when offered afterwards in the course of our tour. 

At nine o'clock we went to the French play, and 
saw Le Servient de Horace, Contributions indiscretes, 
&c. It is a rather nice little theatre, open for the 
first time this year. Opposite our box we saw two 
" loges grillees" in which we were told that the Vice- 
roy's wives and daughters were sitting. 

The Duke of Sutherland, with his party, consisting 
of Lord Stafford, Colonel Marshall, Dr. Russell, 
Mr. Sumner, Professor Owen, Mr: Fowler, and Major 
Alison, are also at Cairo, and are going to follow us 
in a steamer as far as the First Cataract. 

The cold here in the house is really intense ; it is 
all built for hot weather, and that at present being 

I 

anything but hot, we are all shivering. The thermo- 
meter shows only 12° in my great room, or rather hall. 
February 4. — A very fine day, but very cold in the 

— — — . — — : — ■ - M- 

l A 

i 



PROCESSION OF THE HOLY CARPET. 21 



shade, and I was so cold in the night that I slept 
very little. The noise, too, in the streets of Cairo is 
really something dreadful. People scream and shout, 
and the dogs bark and howl all night long, and alto- 
gether the noise is most disagreeable. 

At nine o'clock we went to the Place of the 
Citadel, which is an immense open square, to see the 
procession of Pilgrims set out with the holy carpet 
for Mecca, where is the grave of their Prophet. Here 
a tribune had been erected, on which the Viceroy's 
eldest son and the principal Ministers had taken their 
stand, the carriage or the Prince and Princess being- 
drawn up close to it. 

The carpet is carried on the back of a camel in a 
white silk mehmal, embroidered in gold ; on another 
camel was carried a sort of temple, or small mosque, 
in gold, about three yards wide. Then followed a most 
horrible sight : a half-naked and immensely fat man, 
sitting on a camel, rolling his head all round as if it 
had been fastened on by a spring ; shutting his eyes, 
and holding his hands on his sides ! He is supposed 
to represent a saint ; but, in my eyes, he only 
represented the most disgusting object possible. 
He has already been twenty times to Mecca, and 
he never changes his position or ceases to turn his 
head, so to say, round and round, at all events as 



22 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

long as the procession is in the town, which lasts 
many hours. Next followed a long string of camels, 
dressed out with trappings all embroidered in gold, 
and decorated with looking-glasses, and flags and beads 
of every possible kind. Natives on their backs in 
their wonderful costumes and finery, many playing 
on pipes and tomtoms. Troops closed the procession. 

As soon as the procession had gone twice round 
the large square, the camel with the holy carpet was 
stopped before the tribune, and the Crown Prince, or 
rather Mehemet Taafik Pasha, kissed it, and blessed 
it ; after which the cortege went on its way. We had 
remained in our carriages the whole time, but as soon 
as the procession had passed, we drove to an old house, 
or convent, from the windows of which we again saw 
the whole procession, which had now increased to 
thousands and thousands of people, and certainly a 
more striking sight, or a more beautiful one, can 
hardly be witnessed. Hundreds of banners and flags 
carried by the natives ; camels, and horses, and 
donkeys, carrying priests, all dressed out ; the people 
following, some reading out, some screaming, some 
singing, some carrying snakes about two yards long, 
or more, in their hands, of which I was told they 
only cut off the head, and then eat them alive ! 
Then there were men carrying nets with fishes, while 



PROCESSION OF THE HOLY CARPET. 



23 



every now and then came two savage-looking men, 
naked as far as the hips, with swords in their hands, 
having a sham fight, and throwing themselves violently 
on their swords, as if they were trying to cut them- 
selves in two, and all the time screaming and shout- 
ing. This procession lasted fully an hour and a half, 
and never for a moment did one see the same picture 
before one's eyes. At last came the part of the pro- 
cession we had already seen, and then there was such 
a screaming, and cheering, and clapping of hands as 
was never, heard, from all the houses, in which I may 
say every window was filled, and every roof covered, 
with ladies, all veiled. I hardly think it possible for 
anybody to give an idea of this most curious sight. 

We then drove home, and both coming and going, 
in the midst of these crowded streets, and in spite of 
the excitement we had witnessed, a degree of order and 
quiet prevailed wmich seemed to me quite wonderful. 
No police or soldiers were to be seen, and we only had 
two boys (Syces), dressed in white, with red velvet 
bodies, running barefoot before our carriages, with their 
long sticks to clear the way, when everybody moved 
on and made way for us much more readily than they 
would have done in any civilized country. Yet this 
was their greatest feast of the year, and I should add, 
that the sight of Europeans, or rather, of Christians, 



24 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



is by no means pleasant to them, and in former days 
it often happened that they insulted travellers by 
throwing things at them, and calling them " unclean 
dogs," and so on. But certainly civilization is making 
its way here, and nothing of the kind ever happens 
now. 

After luncheon the Princess, myself, Colonel 
Stanton, and Dr. Minter, went to the Turkish 
Bazaar, and the Gold Bazaar. After dinner to the 
French play. 

February 5. — At twelve o'clock the Princess and 
I went to the Harem of " La Grande Princesse," the 
Viceroy's mother, being invited by her to dinner. 

We drove first through a garden, which, later in 
the year, must be beautiful, and were received at 
the door of the Palace by la Grande Princesse, the 
second and third wife of the Viceroy (the first and 
fourth were not well), his eldest son, and two eldest 
daughters. La Grande Princesse took the Princess 
by the hand, while one of the wives handed me, 
another Mrs. Stanton, and one of the daughters 
Miss McLean, and thus we went in procession to an 
immense drawing-room, the whole way there being 
lined with slaves. 

We only passed through this room, however, and 
went straight to the dining-room, after having a 



VISIT TO THE HAREM. 



25 



cherry given to us to eat, handed to us on a most 
beautiful gold tray, with goblets and plates of gold 
and precious stones. A slave then offered each of us 
a silver basin to wash our hands in before we sat 
down to dinner. In the middle of the room there 
was a kind of round silver table, about one foot high 
from the floor, looking more like a big tray than 
anything else ; large square cushions were placed all 
round it, and so we sat down " a la Turque " round the 
table ; la Grande Princesse having the Princess of Wales 
on her right ; next whom was Mehemet Taank Pasha ; 
then the third Princess and myself ; with the second 
Princess next me, on the left side of the Viceroy's 
mother. Mrs. Stanton and Miss McLean, with the 
two daughters of the Viceroy, dined in another room. 

A slave now came in very smartly dressed, half 
the skirt of black satin, and embroidered in gold ; the 
other half of yellow satin, also trimmed with gold, and 
with a sort of turban on her head. She had a beautifully 
embroidered napkin, with gold fringe, hanging on her 
arm, and we were told that her office was equivalent 
to that of an European maitre-d'hotel. She placed 
each dish in the middle of the table, beginning with 
soup, — a sort of chicken-broth with rice. We were 
each given a sort of tortoiseshell spoon, with a large 
coral branch as a handle, but neither knife nor fork ; 



26 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



and then, at a sign from the old Princess, we all 
dipped our spoons into the tureen together ! Next 
came an enormous bit of mutton, of which we had 
to tear off bits with our fingers, and put them 
straight into our mouths ! About twenty dishes 
followed in rapid succession, alternately savoury and 
sweet. A large sort of omelette — sausages full of 
garlic — a sweet dish of vermicelli and sugar — fried - 
fish — a sweet dish made of rose-water and tapioca or 
gum, half liquid, dressed out on the top with almonds, 
and served in a basin — a dish of hashed meat with 
onions — a kind of mince of sage, rice, and raw onions, 
all rolled in a cabbage-leaf, followed each other in 
succession ! Then pastry, and then some other curious 
dishes. Sweetmeats, currant-jelly, and thick sour 
cream, were served between ; that is, one was allowed 
to dip one's spoon in the dishes of these things which 
remained on the table. The last dish of all was a 
tureen of boiled rice, in which we all dipped our 
spoons, alternately with a dish of sweetmeat. 

A small basin of compote of cherries was then 
put before everybody, and we had done dinner 
according to Egyptian habits ! I must confess that 
I never in my life was more disgusted, or felt more 
inclined to be sick, than I did during this meal. I 
had had nothing but a cup of coffee in the morning. 



DINNER IN THE HAREM. 



27 



and the taste of these extraordinary dishes, as well as 
the sight of all these fingers dipped into the dishes of 
thick sour cream, or a dish of preserves, and the next 
moment tearing off a bit of meat or sausage from the 
same piece of which I felt myself in duty bound to 
eat, was really too nasty. I did refuse once or twice ; 
but the third Princess took that for shyness, and each 
time took a bit of the dish herself, and put it into my 
hand — once, a large onion dipped in gravy ! 

They complimented us on our way of eating, and 
said we did it very cleverly ; that, generally, the 
Europeans eat with all five fingers, but that we did it 
with three, which was quite right. No wine or water 
was served during dinner, so, when the Grande Prin- 
cesse offered me some liquid stuff in a kind of 
tortoiseshell cup, I seized hold of it with great delight, 
in hopes of something to wash down the things I had" 
been swallowing bon gre, mal gre y and took a large 
spoonful of it, thinking it was water and syrup ; when, 
to my horror, it proved to be some sort of sour stuff, 
— vinegar, with an addition of herbs and cucumbers, 
— and I could not help making an awful face, to the 
great amusement of the whole party ! 

We now got up from the floor, and a slave then 
put me into, or rather handed me to, an armchair, and 
brought me a silver basin, very deep, and with a small 



28 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



dish in the middle full of holes. We were given a bit 
of soap, and, while rubbing our fingers with the soap, 
the slave poured water the whole time over our hands, 
and this ran through at once into the dish. We then 
got a very smart towel, with a border richly embroi- 
dered in gold, to dry our fingers with. 

Then we went again in procession to the large 
drawing-room or hall we had before passed through, 
and here we all sat down on a large divan. Music 
was then heard, and in marched about twenty musi- 
cians in uniform, like a military band, wearing trousers 
and frock-coats, with gold buttons, &c, quite Euro- 
pean, the musicians being all girls thus dressed out ! 
The music was not famous — flutes, a couple of cornets, 
a violin, and a guitar — still they played rather nicely, 
though the tunes were not very pleasing to the ear. 
About fourteen girls now came in dancing, some 
dressed in yellow satin, embroidered with silver, 
and others in black satin, embroidered with gold. 
They all wore bodies of silver gauze, with a belt of 
gold band, very loose, and a large clasp or star of 
diamonds and precious stones hanging down in front. 
Their dance was more curious than pretty, though 
some movements were graceful enough. Others, on 
the contrary, were simply frightful. For instance, 
they had a way of moving and shaking their heads 



DAXCIXG-GIRLS. 



2 9 



and other parts of their bodies all separately, as if no 
one part belonged to the other parts, which was quite 
monstrous. These poor girls danced in this manner 
for nearly two hours, and when we expressed some 
pity for them, we were answered, " Oh ! they are 
never tired. They can dance like this for five hours 
at a time." They looked, however, much exhausted, 
and one seemed very nearly fainting. 

While this dancing was going on, coffee was 
served several times. A slave brought in a tray 
covered with a black velvet cloth about a yard and 
a half wide, all embroidered with pearls and enormous 
uncut emeralds ; and in the middle one enormous 
diamond star, quite five inches wide. This cover 
was lifted off, and under it were small cups, like 
egg-cups, which were filled with coffee and handed 
round one by one by a slave, another slave follow-" 
ing and offering one of their long Turkish pipes, 
set with diamonds, or a cigarette with the most 
beautiful holder, all one mass of precious stones ; the 
mouthpiece itself being one large ruby or emerald ! 
The cups, too, were a mass of diamonds ! 

When all this was over, they asked if we would 
like to see the rooms upstairs ; so up we marched, 
each again handed by a Princess, to the upper story, 
passing through a great many very fine rooms, very 



30 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



high, with what little furniture there was in each 
room, of the most gorgeous description, and evidently- 
French. Much gilding, and large looking-glasses, a 
large divan, a marble table in the middle of the room, 
some chairs, and all is told ! Even in the bedroom of la 
Grande Princesse, there was not a single bit of furniture, 
except a high divan, and a low one with a striped 
blanket spread over it, which they said was her bed. 
Not a table of any sort in the room, nor a sign of any 
washing materials. Still they all seem very clean, 
as they regularly take their Turkish baths, which are 
arranged in every apartment. 

After having inspected every corner of the upper 
story , t — the young Prince, who accompanied us and 
acted as our interpreter (which, as he spoke French 
fluently, and was most kind and amiable, he did 
extremely well), saying, "La Princesse doit tout voir" 
— after, I say, inspecting the upper story most minutely 
and conscientiously, we went downstairs again, which, 
to us, is a very easy matter, but which seemed very 
difficult for these poor Princesses in their Turkish 
dresses. Indeed, they could hardly move on at all, 
their legs seeming to be wrapped up in a kind of 
wide trousers, or long petticoats made of some soft 
white stuff, which, with their long trains, made them 
very awkward. 



DRESS OF THE SLAVES. 



31 



We found the old Princess, who had not accom- 
panied us upstairs, waiting for us below. We then sat 
down in the same way as we had done before, and 
music and dancing again began ; only a new set 
of slaves had taken the place of the former ones. 

I did not see a single really pretty face, and 
hardly even a good-looking one among them. How- 
ever, they told us that there are a couple of pretty 
ones, but for some reason or other they were not 
allowed to show to-day. Altogether, there are 500 
slaves in this Harem, and about twenty of them were 
always standing at a short distance from our chairs 
wherever we went. They are dressed in the most 
ridiculous and tasteless manner, in the European 
fashion, but no two alike. One had a bright yellow 
dress with a green velvet jacket ; another a green 
velvet skirt with a red or blue jacket ; and so on. 
Some had hideous round hats with bright flowers and 
feathers ; some had beads in their hair. In short, 
they were dressed in the most vulgar and ugly manner 
it is possible to imagine. A great many had diamond 
ornaments, earrings, and brooches, and a few had the 
Viceroy's picture set in diamonds on their shoulder. 
I think it is a great pity that they have not a 
regular costume, as their present way of dressing 
very much spoils the otherwise so very Eastern 



32 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

effect and look of the Harem. Sitting there in the 
midst of these Princesses, dressed in their splendid 
jewels and all their finery, and surrounded by their 
slaves, reminded one of the descriptions one reads 
in the Arabian Nights or some old fairy tale. 

Coffee was again served very often. A slave 
carrying the tray stopped in the middle of the 
room just in front of us, while another carried the 
coffee-pot, hanging by three long silver chains over 
a sort of lamp, just like the censers used in Catholic 
churches. Another slave lifted off the jewelled 
velvet cloth which hung down in front, and poured 
coffee into the small diamond cups, which were again 
handed to us, each cup by a different slave ; the 
one with the tray standing the whole time in the 
middle of the room till all the empty cups were 
replaced. 

At four o'clock we thought it was time to give 
the signal of departure, so the Princess got up, and 
we were all handed out again to the door of the 
garden, just as we had come in, all smiling and 
grinning to show their delight, and tapping one 
hard on the shoulder as a great sign of affection. 

They were all perfectly enchanted with the 
Princess, and about every ten or fifteen minutes 
" une phrase de ceremonie " was exchanged through 



LIFE IN THE HAREM. 



the Prince. " La Grande Princesse est si contente de 
vous voir," * or " La Grande Princesse regrette tant 
que cela soit contre l'usage du pays, de vous rendre 
cette visite ; "•(• and so on. The young Prince, who 
speaks French most perfectly, acted as interpreter 
the whole time, and did it remarkably well. At 
last they all expressed a hope that the Princess 
would come and dine again on her return to Cairo. 
I confess my heart sunk within me at the thought 
of another dinner like this, as I still felt quite sick. 

I think this is all that happened worth putting 
down during our visit, still I may just as well write 
down some details of their " vie intime" in the Harem. 
We have now seen the bright side, but there is also 
a " revers de la medaille!' They told me that these 
four wives have constant quarrels and squabbles, occa- 
sioned by jealousy, and that sometimes the Viceroy 
is obliged to separate them. 

Thesp poor Princesses lead the most useless and 
idle life. They cannot read nor write, or do anything ; 
yet one or two of them looked very intelligent, — one, 
especially, seeming very clever and sharp. And I felt 
quite sad to think of the ignorant, dull, and useless 

* The Princess is so pleased to see you. 
f The Princess is so sorry that it is contrary to the custom 
of the country to return your visit. 

+~ 3 



34 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



life they are living. However, the Viceroy is doing 
all he can to change, or rather, to improve, the ideas 
and habits about ladies. For instance, he allows them 
to go to the play and the circus in their loges grillces, 
and to drive about with the thinnest veil over the 
face, which, as the eyes are quite uncovered, is easily 
recognized through it. The people in general do not 
at all like these changes ; and as yet very few follow 
his example in allowing their wives to go out beyond 
the garden of their harem, and look with fear on this 
step towards emancipation. 

They are very severe to their slaves, and often 
ill-use them terribly, that is, they are often beaten 
(which people say they don't mind !), but get plenty 
of food (I am sure I do not envy them this part), and 
are allowed to dress as smartly and ridiculously as 
they like. If they behave well, the Viceroy lets them 
marry after sixteen or twenty years' service ; some- 
times giving them away to some unfortunate officer 
or official, who always must accept the present, with- 
out ever having seen the treasure bestowed upon 
him ! When they afterwards come back to see the 
Princesses, they are allowed to sit down in their 
presence, as a great sign of favour. 

The Viceroy's eldest daughter, about fourteen 
years old (she looked more like twenty !), is going to 



EXTRAVAGANCE IN DRESS, ETC. 



35 



be married to some rich Pasha of the country. I 
asked if she was happy ; and I was answered, " She 
has never seen her future husband, and will not see 
him till their wedding-day. Her father has settled 
the marriage, and she has only to obey !" It 
appears that the Viceroy has now decided that no 
one hereafter is to marry more than one wife. 

The luxury and total disregard of expense in 
these Harems can hardly be described. In this case, 
for instance, the bride has got three wedding-dresses, 
— there being three days of ceremonial ; the two 
simplest costing 1,100/. apiece, and the smartest one, 
1,400/. The sum settled for the wedding expenses is 
40,000/., half being given by the Viceroy, and half by 
the future husband. It has all to be spent in these 
three days, heaps of money being thrown out among 
the slaves, who are then allowed to pick it up, and, so 
to say, rush upon it and fight for it. 

The dresses the Princesses wore to-day were 
splendid, as far as jewels go. One had on a white 
moire-antique dress, richly embroidered, nearly all 
over, with gold ; another had a red one ; and blue 
and grey were worn by the younger ones, all equally 
embroidered. The shape of their dress was very 
odd ;'it seemed to me equally long in front as behind, 
where it formed a long train. The skirt was cut open 



36 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

about two feet on each side, showing their legs and 
feet, wrapped up in some soft white material or other. 
The train in front w r as passed behind, and their walk 
in consequence of all this w T as anything but graceful ; 
for having this thick heavy gown between their legs 
they could only waddle along like ducks. 

Their hair was done in the European fashion, but 
with enormous tiaras or coronets, very heavy, though 
splendid with precious stones, on their heads ; one 
really more beautiful than another. Necklaces too, 
with diamonds as big as a shilling-piece, and drops of 
diamonds cut round like crystals, and quite enormous. 

Each had a ring of a single diamond with no 
setting to be seen at all. That of the old Princess 
was so large that she could only wear it on the middle 
finger. I should think it was about an inch wide, but 
I thought it more curious than pretty. 

Each wife wore a belt about three inches wide, all 
set quite close with very large diamonds, and uncut 
emeralds and rubies. I never saw anything equal to 
it ; no gold setting to be seen at all — only these 
beautiful stones. They had also the Viceroy's picture 
on the left shoulder set in enormous diamonds. Yet 
in spite of all this finery and luxury, I would rather 
be the poorest peasant woman working for my bread, 
than one of these miserable creatures. Still they say 




Y 



LAST DAY AT CAIRO. 



37 



that the Viceroy is very kind to them, and does all 
he can to give them liberty and amusement. 

We returned home at four o'clock, and at five the 
Princess, myself, and the Duke of Sutherland went to 
see the stables of Ali Sheriff Pasha, who has some 
beautiful Arab horses. In the evening we went to the 
play, after which the Prince went with all his suite to 
the Viceroy's Palace of Gizerek to supper. Here they 
saw the dancing-girls, and all agreed that the sight 
was rather curious than pleasing. The same mode of 
dancing is said to have existed for more than two 
thousand years. 

To-morrow we are to leave Cairo, and commence 
our voyage up the Nile. 




38 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



CHAPTER III. 

VOYAGE UP THE NILE. 

February 6. — Before leaving Cairo I went out with 
Fina (my maid) to make some purchases. The day 
though bright was very cold. Indeed the cold the 
whole time we have been at Cairo has been intense. 
In my large room the thermometer (Centigrade) has 
never been above twelve or thirteen degrees. 

At two o'clock we left our Palace and embarked 
on board the boats which had been prepared for us, 
to commence our voyage up the Nile. Our party was 
large, and the number of vessels provided for us 
formed really a little fleet, of which the following was 
the order of sailing : — A large and very smartly fitted- 
up steamer, the Federabanee, Captain Achmet Bey, 
heads the squadron, and is occupied by Prince Louis 
of Battenberg (midshipman on board the Ariadne, 
and invited by the Prince to accompany him during 
the trip on the Nile), Major Teesdale, Captain Ellis, 



THE STEAMER AND DAHABEAH. 



5 ( J 



equerries in waiting, Lord Carington, Mr. 0. Montagu, 
Dr. Minter, Sir Samuel Baker, and Mr. Brierley. On 
deck there is a large saloon all fitted up with silk, 
and looking-glasses, and every description of luxury, 
and here we are always to have our meals. Outside 
this again there is a small open saloon with a large 
looking-glass at the back, so that wherever one sits 
one sees the scenery behind one. 

This steamer tows a most beautiful dahabeah, as 
they call these Nile boats, which has been named the 
" Alexandra," in which the Prince and Princess and 
myself are to live. It is all fitted up in blue and 
gold, with a great deal of taste, and the cabins are 
all large and most comfortable. The Prince and 
Princess have a very nice sleeping cabin, with a 
bath-room and dressing-room apiece. There is a 
large sitting - room with a piano and very pretty 
furniture ; and then come my two cabins, small, 
about seven feet square, but very comfortable, and 
outside these, a large cabin for the dresser, Mrs. 
Jones, and my excellent Fina. We have a very 
nice place outside where we can sit and read or 
draw, and an upper deck besides. We are, indeed, 
very well off, except that we must go on board 
the big steamer for every meal — breakfast at ten, 
luncheon at two, and at seven, dinner. This is 



40 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

rather troublesome, and will, I fear, often oblige us to 
remain all day on board the big boat, a thing we do 
not fancy much, so the Princess means to try and get 
back to the small boat after breakfast every day, in 
order to have some hours' quiet for useful occupations, 

After these boats comes the kitchen-steamer with 
four French and one Arab cook on board. It carries 
all the kitchen apparatus and tows a large barge 
full of provisions, dead and alive — turkeys, sheep, 
chickens, &c. Another steamer conveys Colonel 
Stanton, our Consul-General at Cairo, with our two 
Egyptian gentlemen, Mourad Pasha and Abdel 
Kader Bey ; and also tows a barge containing three 
horses and two donkeys, as well as a poor unfortunate 
French washerwoman, who, with her husband and 
child on board, is to go with us as far as the First 
Cataract, and to wait for us there till we return. 
Another smaller steamer, which draws very little 
water, also follows, in case we should not be able to 
get on in our big boat, the water this year being lower 
than they think it has been for these last hundred 
years. All this shows how the Viceroy has spared no 
trouble and no expense to provide his royal visitors 
with everything, and with every luxury that could 
possibly contribute to their comfort and pleasure. 

The Duke of Sutherland, with his party, follows 




FIRST DAY ON THE NILE. 



4 



us in another steamer. In addition to those I have 
already mentioned as composing his party, his brother, 
Lord A. Gower, and Sir Henry Pelly arrived the 
evening before we left Cairo, and are taken by Colonel 
Stanton in his boat, the Duke's being already full. 



I think we shall have a very happy and quiet 
time, for all the party seem likely to agree, and to be 
disposed to make the best of everything. The 
weather is still bitterly cold, only io° Centigrade in 
my cabin ! 

At six o'clock stopped for the night, and some of 
the Duke's party joined us after dinner. 

February 7. — Sunday — but not at all like Sunday 
to my mind, as we steamed on the same as any other 



I cannot say I have been struck, so far, by the 
beauty of the scenery. On the contrary, the banks 
of the river are flat, ugly, and monotonous, of a light 
yellowish sand-colour, with here and there a few 
palm-trees and small villages, which, if you did not 
see some of the inhabitants standing outside, you 
would never believe to be the habitations of human 
beings. They consist of small square huts, made of 
earth, with nothing but a hole for the door, and 
numbers of earthen jars at the top, forming a sort of 
parapet, and accommodating innumerable pigeons. 



day. 



T 




42 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC, 

The young pigeons are excellent to eat, and it was 
with horror that the poor inhabitants saw our sport- 
ing-party land for the purpose of practising with their 
guns at the old birds. I am happy to say this was the 
only time it was done. It was very cold — only 10° 
Centigrade in my cabin in the morning — and I was 
glad of my warm clothing. The Prince went on 
shore to shoot ducks, but found none. We arrived 
at Bene-souef at four o'clock. 

February 8. — A very high wind, and such clouds 
of dust that one could at times hardly see the shore, 
and we never saw the sun or sky all the morning ; it 
was just like a thick fog. Arrived at Aboo-girgeh at 
4.45, and stopped for the night. 

We landed here, and took a little walk. The 
wind had gone down ; but it had left a most dis- 
agreeable effect, as the air was still full of sand flying 
about, filling one's eyes, and covering one's face with 
dust. 

February 9. — The fog was so thick this morning 
that we could not start till nine o'clock, the hour 
at which we are in future usually to begin our day's 
voyage being between five or six in the morning ; 
and then to go on, with occasional stoppages, till six 
in the evening. We now only went on for about an 
hour, as the Prince wanted to try and shoot some 



SHOOTING-PARTY. 



43 



ducks from a small punt with a large gun, which had 
been lent to him for the trip. At eleven, the Princess ; 
and myself, with Prince Battenberg, Sir S. Baker, 
Mr. Brierley, and Dr. Minter, followed in another 
boat to look at the shooting. We saw perfect swarms 
of wild ducks, and hundreds of flamingoes, and a few 
pelicans. However, the ducks took fright, and only 
a few flamingoes were shot. We determined to land, 
as soon as we saw that we could no longer spoil the 
sport ; but the water being low, we stuck fast in the 
sand about thirty or forty yards from the shore. 
The four boatmen at once took off their jackets, 
shoes, and trousers ; but luckily some under-garments 
(waistcoats and trousers in one) remained ; and in they 
jumped, and dragged the boat a few yards, beyond 
which their utmost efforts were unable to move it, 

The alternative was now, either to remain in 
the boat or to allow ourselves to be carried through 
the water. Of course we chose the latter. Sir S. 
Baker and Mr. Brierley carried the Princess, crossing 
their arms, on which she sat. The native boatmen 
wished to persuade me to let them carry me in the 
same manner ; but, in spite of their very amiable 
faces and gesticulations, I refused by my only Arabic 
word — la, la, (no, no), — fearing they would drop me 
in the water. Prince Battenberg and Dr. Minter 



44 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

were carried on the backs of two of the boatmen, and 
there I remained quite deserted, till Mr. Brierley and 
Sir S. Baker came back and carried me on shore also. 
They had to pull up their trousers above the knee, 
as the water was about two feet deep. The heat on 
shore was intense. After an hour's walk we returned 
to our boat, being carried back by Sir Samuel and 
Mr. Montagu, and a most ridiculous sight, I imagine, 
it must have been ! We went on again about two 
o'clock, and reached Minieh at 6 P.M. — 170 miles 
from Cairo. Here we found the mail arrived, but I 
had no Swedish letters, which rather disappointed me. 

February 10. — The Prince and gentlemen went 
out shooting. The Princess, myself, Abdel Kader 
Bey, Prince Battenberg, Mr. Brierley, and Dr. Minter, 
went about eleven to see the Viceroy's Palace : a 
fine house full of French gilding, mirrors, &c, and 
with a very pretty garden. We afterwards visited a 
large sugar-manufactory, where we saw how the sugar- 
canes were brought in, and, by several processes, 
made into the finest sugar. 2,000 camels and 1,400 
people are employed here, and the yearly revenue is 
said to be about 140,000/. 

We then went to pay a visit to the wife of one of 
the directors of the manufactory, which he agreed at 
once to our doing, provided none of our gentlemen 



THE SUGAR-MANUFACTURER'S WIFE. 



45 



came in. So the Princess and I went in alone, and 
were most amiably received by his wife, a very ugly 
woman, painted up to her eyes, and dressed up in all 
sorts of finery, with jewels, &c, though she had no 
reason to expect any visitors ! The room was full of 
women, friends of the hostess, all ugly, but, like 
herself, very smart, in silk dresses of the gaudiest 
colours, and covered with necklaces, earrings, bracelets, 
&c. They were very cheery, — talked, laughed, and 
made signs, all quite unintelligible to us. However, 
by the words, " Madame " and " Mademoiselle," which 
they used in an expressive manner to find out if we 
were married, we, in our turn, found out which of 
them were married and which were not. They offered 
us some coffee and rose-water to drink ! The room 
was very small, but very clean. After half-an-hour's 
stay we left our friends, who patted us violently on 
the shoulders at parting, and made the usual gesture 
of this country, moving the hand, namely, from the 
chest to the forehead. The Princess was very much 
pleased with her visit, and afterwards sent some little 
presents to our new friends. 

We then returned to our boat, and the Prince and 
the gentlemen being returned from shooting, we left 
Minieh at half-past three, arriving very late at 
Beni-hassan. 



46 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



February 11. — Went over to the big boat, as 
usual, for breakfast ; but the Princess and I returned 
to the dahabeah soon after it, and stayed there the 
whole day, having luncheon sent over to us. We 
played, wrote, and painted, and were most comfort- 
able. We arrived at Siout at seven o'clock, when 
the Prince joined us from the big boat, to which we 
all went for dinner at 7.30, two or three of the Duke's 
party, as usual, dining with us. 

The weather has now changed, and is, to my 
mind, perfection. A bright blue sky, the air light 
and bracing, the sun very hot ; though no heat as yet 
to complain of. The moment the sun goes down, it 
gets dark at once ; so much so, that I have seen the 
moon shining on the water before the last rays of the 
sun had quite disappeared ; the air then gets suddenly 
cool. The mornings also are very fresh. These cool 
nights enable one, I think, to bear the heat of the 
sun during the day better. 

As yet, I have not seen any of the plagues of 
Egypt, of which I had heard so much — fleas, bugs, 
flies, and musquitoes — none of these horrors have 
annoyed us since we came on board, and all our pre- 
cautions against them, such as insect-powder, &c. 
have, as yet, been unnecessary ; our special night- 
dresses have not even been unpacked, and we 



SIOUT. — THROWING THE JEREED. ' 47 

are as clean and comfortable as in our own 
home. 

February 12. — Breakfasted at 9.30, and started an 
hour later on a donkey expedition to visit the town 
of Siout, being joined by the whole party from the 
other steamers. The horses and donkeys from our 
barge were landed, quantities of donkeys were hired, 
and off we went. 

At starting, we stopped to see a sort of game, 
called throwing the jereed — men on horseback throw- 
ing long sticks at each other, to avoid being touched 
by which they ride at the most fearful pace, hanging 
on at the same time by one leg almost under their 
horses. In fact, the chief reason or object of the 
game seems to be to show off their riding, which 
certainly is very good ; and some of these Arab 
horses are by no means easy to ride, only that the 
saddles, which are made very differently from any 
European ones — namely, with a high wooden ridge 
in front and behind — make it, I should say, almost 
impossible to fall off. The stirrups, too, are very 
long and wide, made of copper, and the whole foot 
rests on them. The saddles are all of velvet, and the 
bridles are very smartly covered with silver and gold 
ornaments. The whole equipment must be very 
heavy for the poor horses, especially when you see 



48 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

how the riders tear along, whatever the ground may 
be, through the deepest sand, or over the roughest 
ground full of sharp stones. We soon arrived at 
Siout, and visited the principal bazaars, bought some 
earthenware vases and different things, and then went 
to see an old mosque, and a school kept by two 
English missionaries, in which the children seemed 
very intelligent, and spoke very good English. 

We trotted home and got on board at two o'clock. 
I was rather tired after my first donkey ride on a very 
rough beast, with a most uncomfortable saddle, as 
from some mistake no saddle had been brought for 
me, and I had to content myself with one of those of 
the country. The sun was hot, though there was a 
breeze. 

At six o'clock we stopped for the night, and after 
dinner the whole party came over to our big boat, 
where all sat smoking in the same room till it was not 
very easy either to see or breathe. All seem to adapt 
themselves most readily to the custom of the country 
in smoking their pipe regularly after their coffee. 
The Viceroy amongst other things has sent on board 
about twenty long pipes with their magnificent 
mouth -pieces, and half-a-dozen pipe -cleaners on 
purpose to keep them in order. 

February 13. — We started early, but stopped at 



TEMPLE OF DENDERA. 



49 



ten for breakfast, when the party from the other 
steamers joined us, and Mr. Fowler, a distinguished 
engineer, gave a lecture, and read a long description 
of the Suez Canal, where he had just been. At one 
o'clock we stopped at Soohag to coal, and started 
again in an hour. 

The Princess and myself spent all the afternoon 
in our dahabeah, drawing and painting. We stopped 
for the night at Girgeh. Dined and spent the even- 
ing as usual. 

Febricary 14. — A most beautiful day, the first 
Sunday in Lent. The Prince read the service to us 
and the servants very impressively. Such fine warm 
weather ; not a cloud to be seen ! Arrived at Keneh 
at 4.45 and stopped for the night. 

February 15. — As soon as breakfast was over we 
started, about 10.30, on our donkeys, to see the ruins 
of Dendera, a ride of three miles in a very hot sun. 
The temple of Dendera is very fine, and about 1,800 
years' old,* much less ancient, therefore, than other 
temples in this country. Notwithstanding its grandeur, 
I cannot say it made the impression upon me which I 



* I must say, once for all, that I don't profess to be accurate 
either in names or dates. I am not writing a history or descrip- 
tion of the country. I simply put down what I was told, and as 
I understood it at the time. 



50 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



expected, though, perhaps, I ought not to acknowledge 
this. The roof is formed of enormous slabs of stones, 
on which you still see the pattern of stars, &c. 
engraved ; the walls being also covered with hiero- 
glyphics. Got back to the steamer at two o'clock, 
very hot, but having enjoyed the morning very much. 

We stopped for the night at a very pretty spot, where 
I landed and walked about by myself, full of admiration 
of the peace and beauty of the scene. Such fine palm- 
trees, and such fields of green wheat ! I never saw 
anything equal to the bright green colour of the crops 
in this country ; yet they never get a drop of rain for 
nine months of the year, but depend upon water 
pumped up from the Nile and led down through the 
fields in ditches dug for the purpose. We pass the 
pumps by which this is done every five minutes. 
They are worked by the natives in very light clothing, 
and make a strange mournful noise. 

February 16. — Arrived at Thebes at eight o'clock, 
where we found a great many dahabeahs, which all 
began firing on our arrival. It was a very fine 
morning, and we had a beautiful view of the opposite 
hills, but the heat was intense — 77 Fahr. in the shade. 

After breakfast we went to see some curiosities 
at the house of Mustapha Aga, the English and 
American Consul. Here we had coffee and pipes, 



KARNAK. 



and, at half-past eleven, mounted our donkeys to ride 
to Karnak. 

On first arriving you come upon some Sphinxes, 
of which you can see there has been a whole avenue, 
though all are now more or less destroyed. At the 
end of this avenue you see a large wide arch, engraved 
all over with old Arabic inscriptions. Here we got 
off, and went first into the small temple and then into 
the large one. The former is said to have been 
consecrated to Konso, or the God of the Moon. The 
latter is certainly the grandest and most imposing 
sight I ever saw. The effect of the great hall, with 
its innumerable pillars, like towers in size and height, 
is, indeed, not to be described. It must be seen in 
order to form any idea of its grandeur. There are 
said to be 120 of these columns, the middle row being 
the largest. In addition to this, there are endless 
courts, or halls, with their high walls in ruin ; colonnades, 
pylons, and also a couple of obelisks. They say this 
temple was built by Ramesis II., 1,300 years before 
Christ, or more than 3,000 years ago — contemporary 
with Moses ! 

One might be astonished that any work of man 
could last so long ; but here, on the contrary, when 
you look at the size and dimensions of the building, 
you can hardly understand how it has been destroyed ! 



52 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

We had luncheon in the middle of the temple, 
or rather, just opposite the leaning column, so called, 
because it looks as if it was falling, though it rests 
on its neighbour, and may continue to do so for 
thousands of years to come, as it has probably done 
for thousands of years gone by. 

We left Karnak at three, and returned to Luxor, 
a very curious town, or rather village, with the most 
miserable little earthen huts or houses, with broken 
windows, or no windows at all, and surrounded on all 
sides by ruins of old temples, and also by a large 
double row of colonnades. These miserable houses 
greatly spoil what would otherwise be a most im- 
posing sight. Here is also the great obelisk, similar 
every way to the one in the Place de la Concorde. 

We also went into the mosque, which is very ugly 
and shabby. Returned home at 5.30, very hot and 
very tired, but much pleased with our day's sight- 
seeing. There were fireworks at night from the 
shore, as well as from our own boats. 

February 17. — Got up at six o'clock this morning, 
breakfasted at eight, and at nine went in our small 
steamer to the west side of Thebes, mounted our 
donkeys on the other side of the river, and started, a 
large cavalcade of fifty people, for a four miles' ride 
to the Tombs of Kings, said to date from the time of 



VISIT TO THE TOMBS OF THE KINGS. 53 



Biban el Moluk. But I cannot say that this conveys 
much information to me, though I put it down as I 
was told. Who was Biban el Moluk ? 

The sun was very hot, but a nice fresh breeze 
made the day very pleasant. We saw a tomb, which 
we were told was that called the tomb of Bruce, 
from his having been the person to discover it ; but I 
must repeat that I cannot answer for being correct as 
to these names, and still less as to those of Egyptian 
kings, &c, of whom I never before heard. 

We next visited the tomb of Ramesis II., and 
several others. You enter these tombs through a 
small door cut in the rock, which takes you into a 
long passage, leading to several small chambers on 
each side, beyond which is one large room, where the 
sarcophagus of the king had been placed. That of 
Ramesis IV. was still there ; but most of them had" 
been long taken away. The walls and ceilings 
are all covered with hieroglyphics, some simply 
cut in the granite, others cut and then painted 
blue, red, and yellow, the colours being wonderfully 
preserved. 

We had some torches to light up the large tomb 
of Ramesis IV., and swarms of bats then began to 
flutter round our heads — enormous ones. The Prince 
caught one of them. 



54 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

Thence we went to the tomb called " Belzoni's 
tomb," from the fact of his having excavated and 
explored it. All I need say of it is, that the entrance 
is very difficult, the descent being very slippery. We 
returned again through the valley, saw another old 
temple, of the name of which I am not certain, 
crossed over in the steamer, and got home, as we 
may now call our dahabeah, by five o'clock. The 
English mail arrived. 

February 1 8. — Again crossed the river at 9 A. M. 
in small boats. Rode to Dayr el Bachree (the ruins 
of " the Convent of the North "), and saw a great 
many open tombs, containing mummies. Rode from 
them to Ramesis II.'s temple and the Memnonium. 
One cannot understand how such blocks could ever 
have been transported, especially the stupendous 
statue of one of the kings, which, I was told, had 
never been erected,* but merely thrown down on the 
ground, where it had remained ever since. The 
size is not to be described. It is also quite in- 
comprehensible how they have been able to de- 
stroy parts of it, as in these times powder did not 
exist. It is the largest in Egypt, and people 
getting up on it looked like small spots. They say 
it weighs 887 tons. It is composed of red granite, 
* I have since been told that this is incorrect. 



TOMBS OF THE QUEENS — THE COLOSSI. 55 



is ninety feet high, and is said to be the statue of 
Ramesis II. 

We then rode to the ruins of the temples of 
Medenet - Abou, first visiting the small temple 
founded by Amenophis, who raised the great Karnak 
obelisk. On arriving at the great temple, we had 
luncheon in the big court, 130 feet square. It is 
extremely fine, with columns all round. At 4.30 we 
mounted again, and rode to the hill to visit the Tombs 
of the Queens. This I did not at all like. We saw 
on all sides remnants or pieces of human bodies — a 
head here, a foot there, and so on — all wrapped up 
in linen, quite brown and disgusting, — some whole 
skeletons also ! I thought the sight both nasty and 
repulsive. The smell also was quite fearful. 

From this we rode down to the plain to see the 
two colossal statues which, seated here in the middle" 
of the green field, have a most striking appearance. 
They are immense : fifty-three feet high ; said to 
have been raised by Amenophis, 1,600 years B.C. 
They form, certainly, one of the most curious sights 
we have seen here. 

Rode home slowly before most of the party, in 
order to avoid the dust. I was so stiff after this long 
day's ride on a very rough donkey, that I got off, 
about twenty minutes before we came to the boats, 



i 



it- 



56 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

and walked through the deep sand. The Egyptian 
saddles are certainly most uncomfortable. Got home 
at 5.30 and wrote some letters. 

Dined at seven, and after dinner the Princess and 
I again changed our dresses, and put on the not very 
graceful, but very comfortable and sensible costumes^ 
made of flannel, which we always wear upon these 
riding expeditions. We started at nine o'clock to see 
the Temple of Karnak by moonlight. We had little 
light, however, on the way there, except from the 
lamps that were carried with us, for when we set off 
the moon was still very low. We were about fifty in 
all, besides a great number of natives, most of whom 
were on horses and donkeys. Arrived at the beginning 
of the ruins, we stopped, and got off our donkeys, and 
walked up the avenue of Sphinxes to the big temple. 
The moon had now risen higher and shone brightly, 
and I never saw anything so grand and so beautiful 
as the appearance of these enormous columns, partly 
lit up by its light. When we got close to the temple, 
an electric light was lit between each column, and in 
the background there was a display of rockets, and 
fireworks forming stars of different colours. Anything 
so fine or so beautiful, with the obelisk in the centre, I 
can hardly conceive. It was like what one reads of 
in the Thousand and One Nights, more than anything 



NIGHT VISIT TO KARNAK. 



57 



else. These fireworks had been arranged by the 
Prince as a surprise for the Princess, though I am 
afraid the secret had been let out by mistake, 
and she rather expected to see something of the 
kind. The light sandstone colour of the columns 
showed, too, to great advantage by this light, and 
contrasted beautifully with the dark starlit sky. 

Indeed, the whole scene was one of surprising 
beauty, and made a very deep impression on me. 
One did feel so small, so thoroughly nothing, in the 
midst of this magnificent combination of the works 
of God and man ! It would, indeed, require days 
and days to take it all in. I walked about alone 
with the Princess amid this forest, one may say, of 
gigantic columns, and wherever we came there was 
some new scene to admire ! The natives, in their 
pretty dresses, had grouped themselves here and" 
there in the most picturesque way, smoking their 
pipes, and gazing with astonished admiration at every- 
thing that was going on. I also walked outside the 
temple, and, perhaps, the effect of the temple only 
lit up by the moon was the most striking sight of all. 
The columns looked as if they almost touched the 
sky. One could not help forgetting the present, and 
thinking of it all as it was 3,000 years ago. There 
was the work still before us as perfect as ever, and 



58 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



yet it is not even known by whom it was erected ! 
I could have stood and looked at it all for ever so 
long ; but after having seen the leaning column lit 
up, we were effectually awoke from our dreams of old 
time, by a glass of iced champagne, &c. (the ice 
made by a machine, while we were there, by our 
English servants !), and took our departure at twelve 
o'clock. 

The start was a real scramble, and so was the 
beginning of the ride home. The light from the moon 
was very feeble, the crowd was very large ; there was 
no order, but everybody rushed about, and screamed. 
Luckily some of the party took care of me, and led 
my donkey part of the way, or, I fancy, I should 
have come to grief. A horse got loose, and came 
right against me, while I was quite surrounded by 
donkeys and horses on all sides, and could not move 
right or left. The dust, too, was horrible, and having 
dropped rather too far behind, we were in the middle 
of the crowd of animals, stifled with the dust, and 
could only see the torches and lamps (which sur- 
rounded the Prince and Princess, who headed the 
cortege) at a great distance before us. So we decided 
to keep back still more, when one of the gentlemen 
rode up and asked me if it would amuse me to ride 
home on a dromedary. He had just seen one in the 



RIDE OX A DROMEDARY. 



59 



crowd, which had brought the mail. Mourad Pasha, 
who heard of this, said it was impossible ; but I dis- 
regarded all his objections, which seemed weak com- 
pared to my great wish to get on. So, though they 
said I had better not if I was the least nervous, I 
stopped and got off my donkey. We got hold of the 
dromedary, and a man with a feeble lamp. Colonel 
Marshall got on once first to show me how to hold 
on while the beast gets up, which is really the only 
difficulty. . He is made to kneel down with all four 
legs. You then get on, and the moment he feels the 
weight on his back he gets up, by first raising one 
joint of his hind legs, with a tremendous jerk, which, 
of course, throws you violently forward ; and hardly 
have you had time to hold on in this position, than 
you are as violently thrown back, while he gets up on 
his forelegs ; and then comes another bump, while he" 
quite raises his hind legs. It is almost like three 
electric shocks, but all done in a second. There was 
no saddle and no stirrups, and I had nothing but 
small bits of wood behind and in front, between which 
a straw cushion was tied, on which I sat. However, 
I held on beautifully, and enjoyed my three miles' 
ride home immensely. I had a gentleman riding on 
each side of me, so I felt there was some rescue at 
hand should I slip off. The road was very uneven 



-H^ . 

60 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

and bad, but the dromedary walked through it all as 
steadily as possible. The motion was something like 
that of a boat rolling about in the water, and you 
swing about a good deal, which makes you feel very 
unsafe, without saddle or stirrups. Being now well 
behind the crowd, we avoided the dust, and got home 
just as the remainder of the party, having dismounted, 
were still assembled, and stood there much astonished 
to see me sailing home on my high charger. On 
getting off, you have to undergo the same three 
shocks as on mounting ; the dromedary kneels down 
again, doubling up his legs joint after joint, and off 
you go. 

We only got back to our dahabeah at 1.30, and it 
was past two o'clock when I got to bed, very tired, 
after having been riding and walking about, more or 
less, since six in the morning, when I got up. I slept 
badly, and got up at nine. 

February 19. — Left Thebes at 6 A.M. Break- 
fasted very late, and stopped at Esne for coaling at 
twelve o'clock. Started again at one o'clock, and 
arrived at Edfou at 5.45. The Princess and I landed, 
and looked at some very stupid sword-dancing, which 
was accompanied by a man screaming as loud as he 
could. Wrote some letters for the mail, having 
received some from Sweden the morning before — the 

— , M 

X 

1 





AGROUND ON A SANDBANK. 



61 



first since we left Cairo. Thank God ! all well at 
home. 

February 20.— Breakfasted at nine, and at ten we 
rode off to the temple of Edfou ; about a quarter of 
an hour from the river. This temple is certainly 
better preserved than any other we have seen, and is 
very fine. There is a large courtyard, with handsome 
columns, beautifully carved, and numerous small and 
large chambers, the granite walls of which are also 
richly carved. The difference between the figures in 
this temple and the hieroglyphics we had already 
seen, is that these are cut in relief from the stone, the 
cutting of some being still beautifully preserved ; 
while at Thebes they are all cut deep into the stone. 
We rode home again to our boat, after having had 
coffee and pipes in the large courtyard, and soon after 
resumed our voyage. 

After staying quietly on board our dahabeah for 
an hour, we went for luncheon to the big boat, where 
we remained, expecting to arrive at Silsileh soon 
after four ; but about that time we stuck fast on the 
ground, as did all the other steamers. After much 
struggling, without the least success, we had to land, 
in order to lighten the boat, when all the luggage was 
taken out, the boiler emptied, and so on. It was very 
amusing to see our kind Captain, Achmet Bey, during 



I 




62 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

these difficulties. He got so excited and so miserable, 
that one could hardly believe that his very stern, and 
even fierce face could be the same as the one you gene- 
rally saw, always smiling and laughing. He is quite a 
character, and a great favourite with us all. He speaks 
very good English, though rather in his own style ; 
his usual reply when pressed to answer as to the hour 
we are to arrive at such or such a place being, " I not 
say, but please God," or else only "please God." He 
is a most hard-working man, up at six every day, 
and never off the bridge till late at night, and he 
worked as hard as his crew whenever we had to labour, 
as we had to-day, to extricate the steamer from a 
sandbank. While this was going on we all walked 
on the sand for more than an hour and a half. Most 
of the Duke's party joined us. At half-past six we 
re-embarked in our dahabeah, as they had at last 
succeeded in getting the big steamer off the bank 
by means of the small steamer, which dragged it off. 

While we were here struggling to get off, two 
poor men who had just landed, I fancy to get a view 
of what was going on, found all of a sudden that 
their large sailing boat, which they had not sufficiently 
drawn up on shore, had got loose, and was drifting 
down the river. They were just going to throw 
themselves into the water to swim after the boat, 



THE DUKE'S STEAMER. 



63 



when Colonel Marshall and Mr. Montagu jumped into 
a small boat, and started off to bring back the drifting 
barge. The men seemed much pleased, but their 
way of expressing their pleasure seemed rather odd, 
when, instead of thanking the gentlemen for their 
trouble, they put out their hands, and, with the usual 
word "Backsheesh," actually tried to make some 
money out of it. 

At seven we went in the small towing steamer to 
the Duke's steamer, where the Prince, Princess, and 
myself dined. All the rest of the party dined on 
board Colonel Stanton's steamer, with Mourad Pasha, 
etc. It was blowing hard, notwithstanding which we 
dined on deck, and though I had no jacket or hat 
on — only a light alpaca dress — I did not feel at all 
cold. This certainly is the first time such a thing 
has happened to me in February. It was a plea- 
sant dinner, but with too much to eat (sixteen 
dishes). The Duke has got everything as magni- 
ficently and comfortably arranged in his boat as we 
have in ours. 

Returned to our dahabeah at 11.30. Just a fort- 
night to-day since we left Cairo. 

February 21. — Only awoke at 6.30, and feeling 
we were going at full speed, I knew we had got 
safely over our difficulties with the sandbanks. The 



64 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

day was fine, but the thermometer only 5 6° Fahr. 
at seven o'clock." The Prince read the service. 
Arrived at Assouan at twelve o'clock. We here 
found at least 100 camels, which had been sent from 
Cairo to meet us, to carry our things across from the 
First Cataract to Philae. There were also many natives 
on horseback, and a great number of these Nubians, 
who looked very much like savages, grouped on the 
bank just in front of our boats, some of them dancing 
and singing ; and, altogether, it was a very curious and 
interesting sight. We landed to look at these poor 
people, and were sorry that we had no language in 
which to say a kind word to them. 

It was fearfully hot in the middle of the day, not- 
withstanding which we got ready after luncheon to 
ride to Philae, to see the boats in which we are to go 
to the Second Cataract. Most of the party were 
tempted by the novelty, to ride dromedaries ; but 
having had one ride on these beasts, I was less eager 
for a seven miles' ride on one of them, in spite of their 
being gorgeously equipped in very smart velvet 
saddles with silver ornaments. Donkeys there were 
none to be had, and so I had nothing for it but to 
mount a horse. I chose the one with the best-looking 
saddle among the lot of these wretched and wild 
beasts that stood there for hire. There was no way 



RIDE TO PHILAE AND BACK TO ASSOUAN. 65 



to get on but to be lifted up, as these saddles are 
quite different from European ones. They are merely 
formed by two boards sticking up before and behind, 
and between these I contrived to ensconce myself, not 
very comfortably, with my feet in two large iron 
stirrups like square iron plates. There was no bridle 
round the head of the horse, the bit being simply 
fastened by a rope round the ears ; and then a bit of 
rope and a bit of leather were tied and knotted 
together by way of a bridle. How I had courage to 
get on I hardly know, especially as everybody told 
me these horses were not always safe, but sometimes 
very wild. Off we went, however, and I had a very 
successful ride of seven miles. Two of the gentlemen 
were mounted on horses of the same description, but 
they had bridles. The heat was awful, 109 Fahr., and 
riding through the desert was broiling. 

Philae is itself a very pretty spot. We got off 
to look at our new dahabeah, which is to take us up 
to the Second Cataract, and had been sent up here 
many months ago, while the Nile was high. I fear 
we shall be rather crowded in our new home. Rode 
back again in the same way. I got on last to avoid 
the dust, and thus a great portion of the party got 
out of sight, and took another way to go by boat 
from Philae, which we who were behind had not heard 

5 



66 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



of, so we returned by the same road. It was a most 
heavenly night, bright moon, with stars, and the air 
quite delicious after the sun had gone down. Yet 
the road was difficult to find, as there was nothing to 
mark it, everything having the same yellowish colour. 
My horse behaved very well, and the secret of my 
managing him so well was, I suppose, my not daring 
to hold the bridle hard, for fear of the small rope, 
with all its knots, breaking in two, when, doubtless, 
the horse and I would never have been seen again. 
We rode pretty fast home, and I enjoyed my ride 
very much, and was delighted that everybody had at 
starting thought of themselves, and not of me, and 
thus taken away all the dromedaries and donkeys. 
Lord Carington, Sir H. Pelly, Colonel Teesdale, 
Colonel Marshall, and Lord Stafford belonged to the 
party I was with, and we got back to Assouan by 
seven o'clock, and found the first division of the party 
not yet arrived. The steamers and boats were all 
illuminated, and also on shore, near the landing- 
place, a great many lamps were hung up. Got to bed 
at 11.30, rather tired. 

It was the last night, for the present, we were to 
pass in our comfortable dahabeah. 



! 

Y 



( 6; ) 



CHAPTER IV. 



BETWEEN THE CATARACTS. 



February 22. — We were up early this morning, and 
busy packing and preparing for our expedition to 
the Second Cataract. At one o'clock we bid good- 
by, for a time, to our old dahabeah, and embarked 
— the Princess, myself, the Duke of Sutherland, and 
other gentlemen — in a boat, with the purpose of pull- 
ing to the foot of the First Cataract, where the Prince 
of Wales was to meet us. He had started earlier, in 
order to pay a visit to Lady Duff Gordon, who was 
living in her dahabeah a little above Assouan. The 
day was fearfully hot, not a breath of wind, so the 
men had to row all the way, and this, with our loaded 
boat, was slow and heavy work. Sometimes the men 
got out and towed us along from the bank. We 
were perfectly broiled with the burning sun and close 
packing ; and, what was worse, our excellent Captain 



i 




68 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



did not seem to know the least where he was to go, 
nor had any one the slightest idea where we should 
find our donkeys, which had been sent forward to 
wait for us. 

We stopped twice, and landed once ; but there 
was nothing to be seen of the Prince or any one. 
After pulling in this manner for two hours, we came 
at last to where the road leads off to Philae, and on 
getting out of the boat found, to our delight, two 
boys with two wretched donkeys, without bridles, and 
only one of them with anything like a saddle, and 
that a miserable sort of wooden affair. The other 
had nothing but a cushion tied on. In spite of all 
this, we mounted these animals in the best way we 
could, the Princess on the one with the cushion, and 
I on that with the wooden saddle. Such as they 
were, we were really grateful for them, as the heat 
was now quite unbearable (I should say not less 
than 120° Fahr.), and the prospect of a long walk 
through the deep burning sand was not tempting. I 
found it rather difficult at first to keep my seat on 
the donkey, as there was nothing to hold on by, and 
it was, consequently, a mere question of balance. 
But one of the gentlemen walked by me ready to 
help me in case of need. The wooden saddle, too, 
was so uncomfortable that, at last, I had it taken off, 



JOURNEY TO THE FIRST CATARACT. 69 



and rode on the bare back. My great difficulty was 
that my legs hung down so low as almost to touch 
the ground, in clambering up some rough and narrow 
places, where the path was full of stones. The Prin- 
cess got on beautifully, and I think we both enjoyed 
our day's adventure. 

We had ridden thus for near three miles, when at 
last our own donkeys met us. They had been looking 
for us everywhere. We immediately got upon them 
and rode down to the Cataract, where we found the 
Prince and the rest of the party, who had been 
anxiously waiting for us. 

We here saw a number of black natives, like so 
many savages, who threw themselves into the river, 
and swam down the rapids in the most marvellous 
manner, steering themselves very cleverly between 
the rocks ; some of them sitting on small bits of 
wood, and looking as much at home as if they had 
been quietly riding on shore. They all landed close 
to us, and rushed upon us to get " Baksheesh." 
However, they had first to do it over again, and 
then they got a handful of silver to divide amongst 
them. This was the moment to see the savage type 
display itself in full force. The shouting and scream- 
ing that the sight of these wretched coins in one 
of the men's hands produced, cannot be described. 




70 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

Still, there was no fighting, they only seemed to 
use very bad language in very high voices, and a 
single motion of a stick was enough to cow and quiet 
these poor good-humoured Arabs. 

It is really very striking in this country to see 
how crowds of people, however great the excitement 
may be amongst them, fly off and disperse the instant 
a man who considers himself to have the right to any 
authority appears, and gives but one threatening sign 
with a stick or cane ; and you never hear a single 
groan or murmur ! After having run off a few yards, 
they stop, turn round and grin, showing their beautiful 
teeth, and only return this unjust treatment with a 
most good-natured smile ! Altogether, the people 
strike me as a most good-natured and good-humoured 
race ; nor can one feel the least alarmed on finding 
oneself in the midst of a crowd of these natives ; on 
the contrary, one only regrets not to be able to talk 
to them, they all look so pleased, kind, and simple- 
hearted ! * 



* Some, to whom I have read this, tell me that all this only 
proves how intense the feeling of fear must be that exists here, 
and that were the reign of terror by which alone these poor 
wretches are kept in subjection, removed, I should soon change 
my opinion of them. But I should be sorry to believe that they 
are not the gentle simple-hearted beings they appear. 




PHILAE. 71 

But I have got out of my day's history, and must 
return to where I left the poor naked savages 
running up behind the rock to divide their money. 

We now got on our donkeys again, and rode on 
to the Temple of Philae, where it had been the ori- 
ginal intention to have luncheon at two o'clock. We 
crossed in boats, and had a very rough bit of walk to 
get up before we reached the end of our day's work. 
But it was now half-past five, instead of two o'clock. I 
had had next to no breakfast, and felt now so tired, that 
I could hardly walk from the boat up to the temple. 
I was quite exhausted ; what with the early rising 
and packing, the baking sun, the hot ride and walk 
through the hot sand, it had been almost too much 
for me. I sat down, but could not eat, only had 
something to drink. After half an hour's rest, we 
moved on, in order to see the temple, but it was 
almost too late, and nearly dark, so we soon went 
down again to the boats, and rowed home to our new 
dahabeah. It was a lovely night, and bright moon- 
light ; and it was a real repose to both body and 
mind thus to glide gently on in the boat ; but what 
rather spoilt the peaceful sensation, to my mind, was 
the so very disagreeable singing, or rather mournful 
yelling, of the boatmen. They can never row, or, 
indeed, do any kind of work, without accompanying 



72 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

themselves with a monotonous ugly tune ; to my ears 
painfully unmelodious. 

I dressed, and, in spite of kind advice to go to bed 
instead, I went to dinner, which had been laid out in 
some tents, pitched before we arrived on the edge of the 
bank. The Duke of Sutherland gave us the dinner, 
after which there was coffee and chibouques in another 
tent. It was a lovely cool night, yet we were all tired, 
and glad to get early to bed. The Duke, with his 
son and brother, and Mr. Russell, slept in a tent ; the 
others returned to Assouan. 

February 23. — Slept very badly, not more, I am 
sure, than three hours. The fatiguing day and hot 
sun of yesterday, and the fourteen miles' ride the day 
before, had been a little too much for me, and I was 
too tired to sleep. Got up and went on shore early. A 
fine morning though very hot. Breakfasted at ten, 
though I did so only nominally, as I could not touch 
anything. At 11.30 the Princess and some of the 
party went in a boat to see the Temple of Philae from 
the water, but did not land. I remained quietly on 
the bank all the morning. At two o'clock the Duke 
and all his party (most of which had come over from 
Assouan in the morning,) left us, and I am very sorry, 
as they were all very nice and pleasant. They go 
straight back to Cairo and return to England, except 



DEPARTURE FROM PHILAE. 



73 



two of the gentlemen who have been invited by 
Colonel Stanton to remain with him while he stays 
at Thebes to superintend some excavations and 
diggings for the Prince. 

We left Philae at three o'clock in our new 
boats, consisting of two dahabeahs tied together 
and towed by a small steamer. In some respects 
it is not an agreeable change, as there is very 
little room, and my cabin is rather too small for 
comfort. We only went about ten miles to-day before 
we stopped, as the Prince hoped there might be a 
chance of seeing a crocodile, but they were dis- 
appointed in their hopes, and only got a couple of 
birds. The Princess, myself, Mourad Pasha, and 
Dr. Minter landed at five o'clock and took a little 
walk. It was a very pretty spot, and we walked 
through a few corn-fields, the corn being here already 
in ear — wheat and barley — and never did I see such 
corn, so thick and so magnificent, and such a beautiful 
deep green colour ; the smell was quite refreshing. 
The way it is watered is by means of pumps, by which 
the water from the Nile is thrown into large ditches 
or channels dug in the midst of the fields, and led in 
all directions, and in which the water stands more 
than a foot deep. We saw a few natives walking 
about, and a swarm of little naked children. I counted 



74 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

twelve of them, from five to ten years old, perfectly 
naked ; but being nearly black, one is not shocked at 
this any more than one would be at seeing white 
children with a brown tricot over them, for this is, in 
fact, the effect produced; nor, on their part, do they 
seem to know what the word shyness means in any 
degree whatever ; as no sooner do they get sight of 
us, than they rush upon one and begin to stare, and 
ask for " Backsheesh ; " which the Princess is always 
only too happy to distribute. We also here found a 
donkey running about, which was at once caught, 
and the Princess rode on it through the fields in the 
cleverest way, without saddle or bridle. I do not 
think they speak pure Arabic here, at least it 
struck me that Mourad Pasha did not make himself 
quite understood. Went to bed very early. We have 
had a very hot day ; 98 Fahr. in the shade, and 
still 75 at 9 o'clock. 

February 24. — Had a good night's rest and got up 
at seven. The Prince had already started at six 
o'clock to look for crocodiles, having seen the tracks 
of two yesterday. They found none, however, and 
again only shot a couple of birds, and also got twenty 
large fishes caught in a net. To bed early, — always 
sleep with the windows open here. 

February 25. — I got up early. The Princess and 



ARRIVAL OF MAIL FROM ENGLAND. 75 

I drew and painted all the morning. There was a 
nice fresh breeze, though the thermometer was at 90 

At three o'clock we stopped, Major Teesdale 
having seen a crocodile through his glass, on some 
rocks, which caused great excitement. The Prince 
and Sir S. Baker went in a boat, and landed a long 
way off, in the hope of being able to stalk him ; but 
in spite of the caution with which they advanced, 
they had not got more than half way when the beast 
took the alarm, jumped into the water, and dis- 
appeared. It seemed enormous, and they guessed it 
to be from fourteen to sixteen feet long. 

The mail arrived from England, but I got only 
one letter from my mother, of the 3rd. The sporting 
gentlemen all set off after dinner at 11.30, in the 
hope of shooting hyenas, some of which had been 
heard of near where we are ; but they returned at' 
3 A.M. without having had a shot. 

February 26. — Went on all day. Wrote a letter 
home for the mail which goes to-day. The scenery 
is now very fine and wild, and to my mind much 
prettier above the First Cataract than below it. The 
hills or rocks are very high, and there is a greater 
variety of trees, though they still consist mostly of 
palms and sycamores. We have hitherto been very 
fortunate in having had a high breeze from the north, 



76 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC 

which has made the air quite cool, and has also 
delivered us from the only plague I have hitherto 
found in Egypt, namely, the flies. The first two 
days from Assouan they bothered us much, but since 
that we have had none to speak of, and I have taken 
down my musquito-net. My cabin being very small 
and low, I could not, when the door was shut, stand 
up straight while the net was there. I have scarcely 
two feet to spare between the bed and the door. 
However, it is wonderful how soon one gets recon- 
ciled to these little miseries, and now I begin to feel 
quite happy and contented with my small lot, and I 
enjoy this quiet life immensely. 

We arrived in the most beautiful moonlight at 
Korosko at 6.30 P. M. This is half way from Philae 
to Wady Halfah, near which is the Second Cataract, 
and where our voyage up the Nile is to end. From 
Korosko, in order to cut off a great bend in the 
Nile, a road leads across the desert to Abou Hamed, 
where it rejoins the river, and goes on towards Shendy 
and Sennaar, &c. ; the ivory, ostrich-feathers, gums, 
&c, which are brought thence in caravans from the 
interior of Africa, being shipped here for Cairo and 
Alexandria. After dinner, the Prince and some of 
the gentlemen went again to try their luck after 
hyenas, but again got nothing. 



CARAVAN ENCAMPMENT. 



77 



The Princess, myself, Mourad Pasha, and some 
of the gentlemen went on shore at 9.30 in the most 
beautiful moonlight. Found many tents here, made 
of long sticks fastened in the ground, with a kind of 
straw matting spread over them, which hung down 
very low on all sides. These tents were filled with 
the people belonging to the caravans above mentioned, 
who were encamped here, having their goods piled up 
before their tents. The whole scene was very Eastern, 
and very interesting. To the right there was one 
of those hills of bright yellow sand, which, shone 
upon by the bright moon, looked like gold, with a 
few palms scattered here and there. The other side 
had the mos-t complete look of desert, but it was 
enlivened for the moment by three or four groups 
of dromedaries (ours) which had been sent on from 
Philae, and had, wonderful to say, arrived at the 
same time as ourselves. It was a curious sight, the 
camels all lying down with their legs tied, to prevent 
their getting up ; the men, for the most part dead 
tired, stretched on the ground in picturesque groups, 
with the straw of their pack-saddles for pillows, and 
covered with their cloaks ; one man keeping watch 
at each group, while in some of the tents the men 
were deeply engaged at drafts or dominoes. I could 
not help thinking how strange it was, to be walking 



78 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



about in the midst of these, so to say, half-savage 
people, yet without the slightest sensation of fear, 
and perfectly free from danger. It had been a fine 
fresh day, a strong north wind blowing, and the 
thermometer at twelve o'clock only gave 75 ° Fahr. 
A large fish was caught this day by Hadji Ali 
(Colonel Stanton's cavass). He was the Prince's 
dragoman when last in Egypt in 1862, and has now 
come up with us all the way. He put out a line and 
caught a fish seventy pounds' weight. It was five feet 
long, and twenty-nine inches round the head, but 
very ugly to look at, and very nasty to eat they told 
me, as I have never but once had courage to taste 
the Nile fish myself, and then I thought it very nasty. 
Nor have I once touched butter or cream since I left 
Cairo, it being all made from goat or buffalo milk. 
In other respects the cooking, and all we get to eat, 
is perfection, and all done on a really magnificent 
scale, at the expense of the Viceroy. The mail left 
for Cairo. 

February 27. — Left Korosko at 5.30 A.M., and 
passed Dere, the early capital of Nubia, at 10.30. 
Having again seen some crocodiles, the Prince and 
most of the party went on shore, in the hope of being- 
able to stalk them. But, in spite of their patience in 
remaining for several hours lying in holes cut in the 



DELIGHTFUL CLIMATE. 



79 



hot sand, they did not succeed in getting near them. 
The Princess and I joined the rest of the party at 
3.30, and walked about on the bank opposite, picking 
up some pretty pebbles and agates. We only con- 
tinued our journey for another hour to-day, as we 
never can get the Captain to go on after the sun goes 
down, even though there is a bright moonlight. " Me 
rather cut my throat," was one of his constant answers, 
when pressed to do so. 

February 28. — Again, I am happy to say, we have 
a very nice fresh day, and, for the first time since we 
have been in Egypt, even cloudy. Odd as it may 
appear, I must confess that I delight in it as a most 
refreshing change, which shows how one can get tired 
even of everlasting sun. 

We had been told that the heat above Philae 
would not be bearable, and, certainly, starting with 
98 on the 23rd, I really dreaded the prospect of 
what we should have to undergo ; but, so far from 
these fears being verified, the weather has hitherto 
been quite cool and most delightful. The climate of 
Egypt certainly suits us all, and no wonder, for it is 
really most enjoyable. Indeed, the purity and light- 
ness of the air is, to my mind, one of the great 
charms of this country. Then the transparent and 
ever-changing lights, particularly at night, when the 



80 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

sun goes down, are beyond description beautiful, and 
you never get tired of watching them. By moonlight, 
too, owing to the lightness of the atmosphere, you 
can see further and more distinctly than you can 
anywhere else. In short, I think the climate, as far 
as I have yet experienced it, simply perfection. 

At three o'clock this day we came in sight of five 
crocodiles, and the Prince and Sir S. Baker at once 
landed to try and stalk them. Four of them, one 
after another, disappeared in the water. One, how- 
ever, was left, and this the Prince fortunately got 
a shot at, and killed at fifty yards' distance with 
his first barrel. We had seen the whole thing from 
our dahabeah, and the excitement when we saw that 
the crocodile was killed was tremendous, and there 
was no end to the screams of joy and cheers that 
came from the boats. The whole party, headed by 
the Princess, now rushed off in small boats to have a 
sight of the beast. It certainly was not pretty to 
look at. It was nine feet long, and four feet round 
the body. It was at once brought on board the 
dahabeah, and there was again hearty cheering from 
all the servants and men on board when the Prince 
returned, and they got sight of the crocodile. 

The Prince himself, and everybody else, had been 
so anxious that he should kill one that, during the 



ARRIVAL AT ABOO SIMBEL. 



81 



last few days, the banks of the river had been eagerly 
examined by every one, and whenever the word 
"Crocodile in sight" was called out, there was intense 
excitement, and our boats were at once stopped. 
However, the Prince had seldom even time to land 
before they had again disappeared in the water, 
which they did the moment they saw the boats 
approaching. It is this extreme shyness of the cro- 
codile which makes this sport so very difficult. We 
heard that, just before our arrival, two Englishmen 
had been in vain watching for crocodiles for the last 
five weeks, going out day after day, but never getting 
even a chance of killing one. This will explain the 
rejoicing of our party over the Prince's success, which 
certainly he deserved ; for his eagerness after the 
sport, and the patience with which he lay for hours 
waiting for a chance, and generally in vain, is not to' 
be described. The sport over, we got under weigh 
again at 4.45. The crocodile was at once skinned, 
and the skin, as well as the head, is to be taken 
home. When the crocodile was opened, a quantity 
of pebbles were found in it, of which two bottles full 
were brought away. 

We arrived at Aboo Simbel at 6.30, and, after 
dinner, went to see the great temple illuminated. 
However, it did not quite answer, as, this temple 

6 



82 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

being covered at top (the one at Karnak is open), the 
smoke from the electric lights, as well as the heat, 
made it quite impossible to bear it more than a few 
seconds, there being no ventilation whatever, except 
from one small door. 

March i. — Breakfasted at nine o'clock, and started 
at 10.30 to see the temples, which are quite close by, 
— only a steep bank to get up. The exterior and 
entrance are decorated with carvings in high relief ; 
the colossal figures of the kings being considered 
the most beautiful and remarkable of any in Egypt. 
They all — three in number — represent Ramesis II. 
Their height is sixty-six feet, and the expression of 
the faces wonderfully good ; they are cut in high 
relief from the rock itself. The interior excavation 
extends into the rock for 200 feet ; and very hot it 
was inside. The temple is dedicated to Re (the 
Sun), and in a niche over the entrance is a statue in 
relief representing that deity. The Princess also went 
into the small temple. The carving inside the big 
one was different from what we had seen in other 
temples. The figures were larger, and in greater 
variety ; amongst them a chariot and horses in the 
midst of a battle. 

We are now forty miles from Wady Halfah, and 
166 miles from the First Cataract. 



RIDE THROUGH THE DESERT. 



S3 



Left Aboo Simbel at twelve o'clock, stopping on 
the way in hopes of getting a shot at some large 
crocodiles, so that it was too late to reach Wady 
Halfah to-day. As usual, the hope of a crocodile 
was disappointed. 

Stopped at 6.30 for the night at a small village. 
The weather not very hot — rather cloudy. 

March 2. — Arrived at Wady Halfah at 10.15 A.M., 
and, about twelve o'clock, started on donkeys, camels, 
and dromedaries (as we thought) for the Second 
Cataract. It was a very hot day ; and a very hot, 
dusty, and dreary ride we had through the desert. 
We had been told it was four and a half miles off ; 
but at last, after we had ridden, as we guessed, about 
eight miles, seeing that we had been quite deceived 
in our information as to the distance, and being told 
that we had not yet come half way, we stopped, and 
settled to lunch where we were. I confess I was 
very glad to get off my uncomfortable saddle. The 
natives here never have the smallest idea of time or 
distance, nor does the former seem of any value to 
them. You can therefore never trust to their infor- 
mation as to how far you are from a place, nor the 
time it will take to go there, as you are sure to be 
deceived. 

We now settled down under a high cliff, and 



84 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



began our luncheon, which, as well as all the English 
servants, had followed us on some dromedaries. Sit- 
ting down in the hot sand, which blew in our eyes 
and into our plates, was not very agreeable ; still, 
considering that we were now in the great Nubian 
Desert, we were, comparatively, very luxuriously off. 
This, however, has been the case all through our 
trip in Egypt, chiefly, I must say, thanks to all our 
English servants, who have shown the greatest 
anxiety and zeal to make everybody and everything 
comfortable — never minding their own convenience 
or how hard they had to work. 

We rested here till 4.30, and then set out on our 
return towards our boats. On the road we passed a 
funeral, which was a very curious sight. There was 
a long procession : first, a number of men ; then 
came the corpse, wrapped up in white linen, and then 
a number of women. (They had passed us thus at a 
distance, while we were at luncheon.) We now came 
upon them at the burial - place, where they were 
engaged in digging a hole, whilst the corpse was laid 
down, or rather, supported by some of the women, 
who were grouped together, sitting in the attitude 
usual here. One or two of them (the mother or 
sister,) had their heads under the sheet that covered 
the corpse ! Their costume was a blue linen gown, 



NUBIAN FUNERAL. 



85 



or rather shirt, with long wide sleeves ; their hair, 
full of grease, or rather castor-oil, which they all use 
in great profusion, was arranged in long corkscrews, 
just like a black worsted fringe, all round the head, 
only cut shorter over the forehead, and looped. None 
were veiled. A good many of them had thrown 
ashes and sand over their heads, I suppose as a 
token of sorrow and grief, but otherwise there did 
not seem to be much of that, as they talked and 
laughed the whole time, staring at Mourad Pasha and 
myself, who had remained behind to see the ceremony. 
The grave being ready, a prayer was said by one of 
the men ; the corpse laid in ; another prayer said ; 
and all was over. The custom here is to return to 
the grave each Friday for forty days, and to fill a 
small bowl of wood or earth with water, and place it 
on the grave, for wild beasts and birds passing the 
spot, to drink from. In Lower Egypt the customs 
are different. The belief there is that the spirit, or 
soul of the deceased, comes back three times in 
the year, on particular days, when all relations 
and friends are expected to go to the grave and 
there distribute offerings to the poor, who then come 
there to receive them. Everybody brings some dish 
or other, or clothes, money being of less use to the 
poor here. 



86 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

They seem generally in this country very par- 
ticular in showing some outward sign of mourning : 
for I was told that whenever one of their family dies, 
or even one of their cows (!) they put on mourning ; 
but as they wear no clothes, this consists simply in 
tying a cord across their breast. 

Our ride home was very pleasant, but my stopping 
behind with Mourad Pasha to see the funeral, made 
us rather late. However, we soon overtook Prince 
Battenberg and Mr. Brierley, but before coming to the 
boats it was quite dark, and we were very glad of 
some lamps which were luckily sent to meet us. 
We were hot, tired, and dusty, but had enjoyed our 
day, though we had seen nothing but a part of the 
desert. 

March 3. — Awoke quite fresh, and rested after a 
good sleep. This is, indeed, the case every day here. 
I hardly ever feel tired ; I sleep better than I ever did 
before ; and I can hardly remember that I ever felt so 
strong and so thoroughly well as I have done during 
this month in Egypt. It is certainly a most healthy 
and pleasant life, and one I should recommend to 
everybody who longs for physical and moral rest. 
For the first few days you feel quite lost without any 
post or papers ; but after that I must confess (horrible 
as it sounds), that the feeling that no means exist of 

tk — 

1 w A 



A WILD SCENE. 



87 



either receiving or sending letters, becomes delightful. 
You live, so to say, in another world ! 

We breakfasted at nine, and started at ten in 
small boats to cross the river, as we were now in- 
formed that it was from the west bank we had to 
start to see the Second Cataract. Arrived at a large 
sycamore-tree, we landed and got on our donkeys, 
camels, &c, and after a ride of about eight miles, 
arrived at a high cliff, which we ascended, and from 
thence saw a very pretty wild scene. The river here 
rushes down in a very picturesque manner between 
rocks, but, the water being very low this year, the 
rapids were not very high, and not to be compared to 
many of the beautiful waterfalls I have seen in Sweden 
and Scotland. The view, however, was very extensive 
and very wild ; and, as usual, the lights and colouring- 
of the whole country before us, struck me more than 
anything else. We then went a little further, to 
where some large tents had been pitched just above 
the cataract ; and the cooks having also been sent on 
early in the day, we found an excellent dinner waiting 
for us, and being quite ready for it, after our early 
rising and long ride, we certainly did justice to it. 
Mourad Pasha had taken in hand the arrangements 
of the day, and wished us to have a real Turkish 
dinner. Two whole roasted lambs were brought in, 



88 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

but, much to his disgust, he only succeeded in making 
us sit down on the ground in the Turkish fashion, 
with our legs crossed, but could not persuade us 
to eat in their fashion, tearing off bits with our 
fingers. We had also some other excellent Arabian 
dishes, pilau or pilaf, a kind of rice dish, very good. 
Coffee and smoking followed as usual, and we then 
enjoyed the view, and the nice breeze, till at last we 
were told it was time to go home. I felt very sorry 
to leave this place, after a most pleasant and success- 
ful picnic ; but I also felt that we were now at the 
turning-point of our travels ; that we had reached 
their furthest limit, and that this was actually the 
beginning of our return journey home, which we can 
never expect to find so pleasant and enjoyable as this 
has been. As soon as we arrive in Cairo the duties 
of the great world, with all its fuss and bustle, must 
again begin ; and as we get further and further into 
Europe, this sort of life will only go on crescendo, 
and I often ask myself when shall I ever lead such 
a peaceful life again ? I felt this not only for myself, 
but perhaps more strongly still for the Princess, who, 
like me, has enjoyed it all immensely. However, it 
was no use grumbling to oneself, and so I got on a 
nice dromedary, and with the rest of the party, pro- 
ceeded homewards. 



I 



NUBIAN BOY. 



89 



The Prince and some of the gentlemen went by 
boat. The Princess rode my donkey, and I felt as 
comfortable on my high beast as if I had been on a 
horse. In choosing a dromedary, the great thing is 
to select a small and thin one, and then, at a short 
trot, they are really very comfortable, and very easy 
to manage. We again crossed in boats, and arrived 
at Wady Halfah at 6.30. Dined at eight o'clock, and 
had done quite enough to be ready for our beds at 
ten. No heat to-day to complain of ; indeed since we 
left the First Cataract on our way up, the breeze has 
been mostly from the North, and the sky rather 
cloudy, which has made the temperature quite com- 
fortable. 

March 4. — Left Wady Halfah early — passed Aboo 
Simbel at twelve. Left the steamer there, and allowed 
our dahabeah merely to float down the stream for a 
few hours, in hopes of not disturbing crocodiles. We 
saw a great many, and the Prince and Sir S. Baker 
tried to stalk them, but got none. Stopped for the 
night at a place where we had seen many crocodiles 
on our way up. 

I forgot to say that yesterday, while at dinner at 
Wady Halfah, a little boy was watching the torches 
which are always stuck in the ground on shore, wher- 
ever we stop at night. The Prince and Princess took 




go JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



a fancy to him, and as, on being questioned, he said 
his father was dead, his mother re-married near Cairo, 
and that he had not a friend in the world, he was 
taken on board, and seemed delighted at the thought 
of going with us. He was asked if he did not want 
to tell somebody that he was leaving this place, but 
he said he had nobody he cared to see, and will thus 
go with us to England, as a pipe-cleaner. The only 
property he had in the world was the white linen shirt 
tied round his waist, and a small white cap which he 
had on. He is an intelligent, ugly little boy, not 
very black, but rather bronze-colour, and with a large 
silver ring stuck in one ear. 

Whenever we stop, numbers of natives, mostly 
children, come down to the bank to look at us. The 
Princess used to throw them bread and oranges ; but 
they seemed to value still more empty bottles, which 
the Prince threw one by one into the water, when 
these poor half-savage-looking creatures instantly 
dashed in after them, racing with each other to get 
them. And though you sometimes see a little 
quarrelling, if one gets a greater number than the rest, 
they generally agree most good-humouredly to divide 
their treasures. The use they make of them is simply 
to hang them up by a string, as an ornament to the 
ceiling of their huts. 



WATCHING FOR CROCODILES. 9 1 

March 5. — Remained quiet till nearly four o'clock 
in our dahabeah. The steamer and the other dahabeah, 
with all the gentlemen, had gone on early, at five 
o'clock in the morning, in the hope of having some 
independent sport. The Prince and Sir S. Baker lay 
watching for crocodiles for several hours, in the hot 
sand, notwithstanding the burning sun. (The ther- 
mometer was 140 , and I had it from ioo° to 108 
in my cabin.) However, they could not get a shot. 
Indeed, though some were seen, not one came within 
shot before they went down again. We joined the 
other boat at seven o'clock, and found that they had 
not got one either, though they declared they had 
killed one, four guns firing at a crocodile at the same 
moment. This ought certainly to have killed it, but 
the beast rolled into the water, and was carried away, 
by the stream. This is the sportsmen's own account. 
Meanwhile a day was lost in vain, and the heat had 
been quite unbearable : even late at night there was 
8o° Fahr. 

March 6. — The English mail arrived early in the 
morning, and I got some letters just a month old. 
Again a very hot day. Early in the morning the 
thermometer was at 106 ; at twelve o'clock 140 in 
the sun, and 108 in my cabin. I certainly never felt 
anything like the heat. There was not a breath of 



92 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

wind, and, added to this, there were swarms of the 
most impertinent flies, which one was constantly 
occupied in fanning away ; an operation which only 
makes one still hotter, and effectually prevents one 
from doing anything in the way of drawing or writing. 
The day was unlucky, too, as far as progress in 
our journey is concerned. We stuck fast an hour 
after we had started, and there remained nearly 
three hours before we got off again and were able 
to go on. About one o'clock we reached Korosko, 
from which place we sent off our mail. We left 
Korosko again at four o'clock, but soon found our- 
selves once more aground, both steamer and dahabeah. 
The poor Captain was in utter despair, and he and all 
the men worked hard to get us off. The screaming 
and singing when they try to move the boats is not 
to be described. These boatmen always work their 
lungs and voices at the same time as their legs and 
arms, and it would seem that without this noise the 
work would not advance at all ; but they certainly 
then work like horses. To-day when our boats stuck 
fast, we all of a sudden heard some splashing in the 
water, and looking down we found about twelve 
natives trying to push us off. It was a curious sight 
to see these bronze-looking figures, with their half- 
shaved heads and bright teeth, swimming about, and 



STRANGE BELIEF. 



93 



looking much more like savages or monkeys than 
anything else ; indeed, I should think the Nubian 
must be very nearly related to the latter. Their 
heads are generally shaved altogether except a large 
round circle at the top or back of the head, where 
they allow the hair to grow, leaving it to stick up like 
a brush in the air, or else platting it. I was told that 
the reason they did this, was their belief that when 
they die they will be lifted up to Paradise by that 
lock. 

Of course we had now to stay for the night. 

March J. — Proceeded all day without stopping. 
Passed some beautiful scenery, by far the prettiest 
part of the country we had yet seen. The hills most 
beautifully shaped, rising in succession, row above 
row, with lovely soft lights thrown upon them, and 
the river twisting and winding about in the sharpest 
and most picturesque turns, form altogether one of 
the prettiest and wildest scenes I have yet visited. 
Some of the party compared it to Killarney, in 
Ireland. The weather to-day was delicious, a nice 
fresh breeze blowing from the north. The service 
was read by the Prince in the morning. 

March 8. — Awoke very early, and got up at six, 
to see the beautiful entrance to Philae ; and anything 
prettier than it all looked on our arrival here this 



94 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



fresh bright morning it is impossible to conceive. 
The view of the old temple — itself a beautiful object 
— surrounded by palms, with the rocks and hills in 
the distance, and the Xiie winding round it on all 
sides, is simply lovely ! 

YYe arrived at ten o'clock, and at twelve started 
on donkeys for Assouan, where we arrived at 1.30, 
having stopped on the way to see an unfinished 
obelisk, just as it was cut out from the quarry, 
probably thousands of years ago ! 

The ride in the middle of the day was rather hot. 
Arrived at Assouan, we lunched, and again took 
possession of our beautiful old home, our dahabeah, 
which, after the narrow quarters in the other boat, 
was doubly appreciated, at least by me. Everything 
seemed quite luxurious in comparison. 

Still, I must say, that we have thoroughly enjoyed 
our expedition to the Second Cataract. It has proved 
a perfect success in every way, and was worth much 
greater discomfort than we were called upon to 
endure. 



( 95 ) 



CHAPTER V. 

RETURN VOYAGE DOWN THE NILE. 

March 8. — After luncheon to-day, the Prince and 
Princess, with myself and Sir S. Baker, crossed the 
river, to pay Lady Duff Gordon a visit in her daha- 
beah, which she has now made entirely her home ; 
living on board up here on account of her health. 
We had coffee and pipes, and returned home about 
five o'clock. 

Received letters to-day from Sweden, but they 
were again a month old. 

We dined on board the big steamer, which now 
seemed a perfect palace, after having dined for so 
many days on the deck of our little dahabeah between 
the Cataracts. It is just a fortnight since we left 
this. Went to bed early. 

March 9. — Left Assouan at 10.30. Again com- 
fortably installed in our old quarters on board our 



96 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

pretty little dahabeah. We were towed by the big 
steamer, but the water being very low, they fear the 
latter will soon have to be given up altogether. In 
fact we have already stuck fast several times, and 
are now on the old sandbank, where we had so much 
trouble on the way up ; yet the Viceroy has had 
600 people working and digging here, since we 
before passed it, to make the channel deep enough 
for us. The big steamer stuck fast here about four 
o'clock, and after hard work, and the most zealous 
exertions to get her off, we found it was all in vain, 
and that if we were to arrive at Thebes the next 
day, we should have to go independently of our big 
friend ! Consequently, it was settled that we should 
go on in our dahabeah, and be towed by the small 
steamer. So we started at 5.30. Prince Battenberg, 
Sir S. Baker, and Lord Carington being with us, and 
sleeping on deck ! The gentlemen on board the big 
steamer were to follow as soon as they could. We 
passed some pretty scenery, which we had not seen 
going up. 

March 10. — It was not a very nice day, blowing a 
perfect hurricane, which forced the Princess and my- 
self to take refuge in the big cabin, where we spent 
our morning painting. At four o'clock we went on 
deck. There was a fine sunset, and a very pretty 



ARRIVAL AT THEBES. 



97 



view over the hills. Even in our small boats we 
stuck fast once, which delayed us, and, consequently, 
we only reached Thebes very late — at 7.15 — when it 
was quite dark. The shore and landing-place were 
all lit up with lamps, and dressed out with palms and 
flags, &c. ; and as we approached the bank, rockets 
and blue lights were burnt, to light up the ruins of 
the old Temple of Luxor. 

Colonel Stanton, Sir H. Pelly, Major Alison, and 
Abdel Kader Bey met us here, and came on board 
our boat, having been here since we left Assouan. 
Colonel Stanton had remained to superintend some 
excavations for the Prince, and he had asked the 
other two gentlemen to stay with him ; while our 
Egyptian aide-de-camp was left, on account of our 
scarcity of room in the small boats used above the - 
First Cataract. Mourad Pasha accompanied us all 
the way. I think I never met with anybody more 
really kind and amiable than Mourad Pasha. He 
has quite adapted himself to our manner of living, 
and seems perfectly to understand our ways, and is 
always ready to enter into all our wishes and amuse- 
ments. 

As all our steamers, with food, &c, were left 
behind, a telegram had been sent off last night to 
Colonel Stanton to prepare him to give us a dinner 



JOURNAL OP' A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



in his boat. And a very good one we had. The 
mutual adventures of the two parties during the last 
fortnight were told, a speech was made, and a toast 
proposed by Mourad Pasha to the health of the 
Prince and Princess, this being the anniversary of 
their wedding-day. 

After coffee and pipes, and some more talk, we 
all proceeded, about eleven o'clock, to Mustapha 
Aga's (the English Consul's house), to see the famous 
Egyptian dancing-girls. We had heard so much 
about them, that, I confess, I was rather curious to 
see what they were like. But never was I more dis- 
appointed than by the performance of these creatures. 
Two appeared first, one tall and hideous, really like 
a mummy, only two fierce black eyes showed one 
that she was neither a doll nor a mummy. The 
other is the Taglioni of this country, called Zenab, a 
great beauty according to the Eastern taste, — to 
mine, a perfect fright. She had fine eyes and teeth ; 
but the former being painted all round, as well as 
the eyebrows, there was no real beauty about them. 
Still, I could understand her being considered hand- 
some in this country. They were dressed in the 
most gorgeous dresses — red silk, brocaded with gold ; 
their heads one mass of coins and other finery, falling 
down low on their foreheads. The gowns were high, 



DANCING-GIRLS. 



99 



fastened in front, and fitting very loose, showing 
most hideous figures, and waists about a yard round. 
Altogether, there was a perfect absence of all grace 
or charm. The neck and body of the dress were 
covered with most beautiful gold necklaces of all 
sorts of curious patterns, and principally composed of 
gold coins. The music was frightful, and so was the 
dancing — of the same nature as that of the Harem, 
consisting chiefly in moving and shaking the body, 
the feet and legs having very little to do with it. 
Two other small black creatures afterwards appeared, 
frightful to the highest degree, but also covered with 
ornaments. Between the dances, they sat down on 
the floor and smoked cigarettes. At 12.30 we came 
away. 

I forgot to say that, when we first arrived, we 
were shown several very handsome mummy-cases, 
which had been found in making the excavations for 
the Prince. As many as thirty -two have been 
dug out. 

I confess that it went against me to see these 
things. To me, what is dead and buried, whatever 
the custom or fashion of the burial may be, is sacred ; 
and I cannot bear the idea of disturbing, and still 
less of removing, these corpses, especially when you 
see, from the careful way in which they are wrapped 



100 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



up, and the very out-of-the-way places chosen for 
their family tombs, that their wish was to remain 
there undisturbed for ever. To break through all the 
precautions so carefully and skilfully adopted for 
concealing their tombs, and to take out everything 
considered most precious and sacred, and carry them 
off, I think simply horrible. Still, it is done every 
day, and by the Viceroy's order a great many have 
been taken lately to the new museum at Cairo. The 
cases were quite well preserved, and the paint seemed 
as fresh as possible. The lids were taken off two, 
and inside was another case, still more decorated with 
gilding and painting, the figure and head of the dead 
person being supposed to be carved upon the hd. 
This inner case was also opened, and there was the 
corpse, wrapped up in linen, and strapped up with 
wide tape. The shape of the body was still per- 
fectly seen, and perfectly preserved. When you 
think of all the thousands of years they may have 
been buried, this is very curious. Still, I am glad we 
do not now try to preserve the dead in this manner. 
On the contrary, I wish more than ever that the old 
custom of burning the dead still existed. The Prince 
will bring a few of these cases with him to England. 

The party left behind has not yet arrived. 

MarcJi ii. — Got up early, and started at 9.30 to 





LAST PICNIC ON THE NILE. 



10 



' see the place where the digging was going on ; and a 
very hot ride we had from the other side of the river. 
Arrived at the spot, we could only see a deep entrance, 
cut in the rock, and from it a deep descent of about 
ninety feet. A few people went down, as it were 
down a coal-pit, by hanging to a rope. Down below 
I was told there was a magnificent stone sarcophagus, 
said to be that of the beautiful Queen Nicotris, which 
the Prince means also to take to England. 

We stayed here some time, and then remounted 
our donkeys, and rode to Ramesis II. 's temple, 
where we lunched ; and then returned home, very hot 
and dusty. It was our last day's picnic on the Nile, 
I am sorry to say, as we are due at Minieh the day 
after to-morrow, and from thence we go by rail to 
Cairo. I was much disappointed also that time did 
not allow us to return once more to Karnak. 

I feel still quite low at the thought of this charming, 
quiet, and idle life being so nearly at an end. I have 
felt stronger and better than I ever did in my life, 
and I have most thoroughly enjoyed the trip, the 
delightful climate and constant fine weather, and the 
total absence of care and bustle. You feel when you 
get up in the morning that you have the whole day 
before you, undisturbed, for all your pleasant or useful 
occupations and readings. 




102 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



March 12. — When we came home yesterday about 
four o'clock, we found the big steamer and the gentle- 
men safely arrived ; however, it was our last dinner 
on board that steamer, as there was no time to be 
lost. The water being very low between this and 
Minieh, it was thought better that the gentlemen 
should move into their old dahabeah, which had, with 
much trouble, been brought down from the Second 
Cataract, and thus be independent of all the sandbanks 
and shallow water. The two boats are, therefore, now 
towed by the kitchen-steamer ; not, however, tied 
together, as the dahabeahs were above Philae, but 
one behind the other. The heat to-day was beyond 
description, and almost unbearable ; and then the 
flies have of late been perfectly detestable, never 
leaving one a minute's peace, and consequently it is 
very difficult to draw or write ; they are most imper- 
tinent, and dozens of them settle on your face and 
hands, while the constant fanning them away only 
makes one still more hot. 

Other creatures, on the contrary, have not made 
their appearance at all. I have as yet scarcely seen 
a musquito, and hardly ever a flea ! 

We went on all day without stopping, and at 
night the post arrived, with good news from both 
my homes. It certainly is one great drawback to 



GREAT HEAT. 



103 



the long intervals between the arrival of the mails, 
that you cannot help, at times, working yourself up 
into a certain degree of anxiety for all those you love, 
till you tremble at what may have happened since 
you heard last ! At least, I have often given way, in 
spite of myself, to such thoughts. 

The gentlemen from Colonel Stanton's steamer 
dined with us. 

March 13. — Went on all day. Again fearfully hot 
— ninety-four in the shade on deck ; hardly possible 
to do anything on account of the heat and the flies. 
The evening, too, very hot indeed. 

March 14. — Passed Siout early in the morning. 
Very hot again — 100 in the shade ! The wind got up 
later, and we had a perfect gale in the evening. 

Stopped about five o'clock at Rhoda, and went on 
shore to see the great sugar-manufactory belonging 
to the Viceroy. The heat inside it was really intense. 
We also went through the Palace, the Viceroy having 
one of some sort or other wherever he has got a 
manufactory, merely for the chance of his going there. 
This palace is splendid, with fountains inside, gilding, 
mirrors, &c. 

After dinner all the gentlemen from the other 
boat came on board our dahabeah. 

March 15. — A cloudy morning and high wind. 



104 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

Arrived at Minieh at nine o'clock. The steamers 
which had succeeded in getting as far as Thebes, and 
had left that place at the same time as we did, had 
been delayed by sticking on different sandbanks, and 
only joined us at twelve o'clock. Some delay had been 
also caused by an accident to the dahabeah with the 
gentlemen on board. They were awoke about seven 
o'clock by the water coming into their cabins, a hole 
having been made in the boat by the anchor, and they 
had to rush on deck ; but being, luckily, quite close 
to the bank when the boat stopped, they were able 
to save their clothes and goods by throwing them out, 
any way they could, through the ports on to the 
bank They had hardly five minutes to do it in, 
before the water rose about two feet high in their 
cabins. Their description of the confusion and rushing 
about in their very slight night-costumes, and then 
dressing on the bank, was most ridiculous and amusing. 
Certainly, when they arrived they made as good a 
story as possible of their shipwreck, which, had they 
been further from the shore, might really have been 
very serious ; and, selfish as it sounds, I must confess 
that I felt grateful the accident had not befallen us 
instead. 

We stayed quietly in our little home all the 
morning, the last day we have to spend there, and 



EGYPTIAN FORTUNE-TELLER. 



105 



lunched on board our old steamer, also — alas ! — for 
the last time ! The wind and dust were so awful that 
it was impossible to use the deck, as we generally do, 
as the dining-room. 

About four o'clock, the Princess, myself, Mourad 
Pasha, and some of the gentlemen, went up to the 
town on donkeys, and had a charming ride, poking 
about in every corner, and into every bazaar. We 
heard some rather funny singing : one man singing 
the tune, while five or six men stood in a row behind 
him, clapping their hands, and joining at times in a 
sort of chorus, which became all the more melodious 
from our donkeys joining in it with the most despairing, 
yelling shrieks. 

The town is very pretty, and now looked very 
picturesque, from the number of regular little separate 
camps, like little fairs, all about it, with quantities of 
camels, and natives in their picturesque costumes, 
grouped here and there. The poor people generally 
wore only a greenish blue linen shirt, or a kind of 
deep brown worsted cloak, with openings for the 
arms, and some sort of white turban or cap on their 
heads. We stopped an old woman, who engaged to 
tell our fortunes. Her face was quite hidden, except 
her eyes. She produced a sort of flat tray, with a 
heap of shells and bits of coloured glass, which she 



IC>6 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

took up in her hands, and then threw them down on 
the tray, and after looking at them for a moment, 
she began by telling the Princess that she had many 
friends, much money, with all those phrases com- 
monly used by these people. I did not care about 
having mine told, so we went on, and came to a large 
garden, full of high orange and lemon-trees, all in 
full flower, besides palms, dates, fig-trees, olive-trees, 
&c. It belongs to some of the members of the 
Government. Coffee was brought out, and we had 
some without getting off our donkeys. 

From there we went to the house of the governor of 
the town, riding into the house, and through a passage 
straight into a small courtyard. Here we were offered 
a kind of lemonade, and the Princess was presented 
with a beautiful white parrot and two flamingoes 
(alive). Our menagerie is certainly increasing ; for to 
these we have to add, a monkey bought at Korosko, a 
snapping turtle from Assouan, and two goats ! — all 
going to be taken home to England. However, our 
little Nubian barbarian, Achmet Ali, whom we found 
on the bank of the Nile at Wady Halfah, making 
himself out to be " Nobody's child," is, I think, going 
to be left in Egypt. He is much too sharp, and 
rather difficult to manage, so the Prince intends 
giving him a donkey, and thus starting him in life, and 



DRIVE TO THE GREAT PYRAMID. 10? 



he will be one of the many hundreds of these little 
sharp, impudent donkey-boys, who beset and tease 
travellers in Egypt. 

We dined in the Viceroy's palace, the dinner being 
brought from our steamers. The palace is very 
pretty when lit up, and looks most gorgeous with 
its glasses, and gildings, and satin hangings. 

March 16. — At nine o'clock, after an early rising 
and breakfast, we left our dear little dahabeah for the 
station of Minieh, only a few minutes' distance from 
the boats, and went by a special train to the station 
of Ghizeh, where we were met by the Viceroy's 
eldest son, Mehemet Taafik Pasha, Sheriff Pasha, 
and many officers and officials of all sorts. After a 
few minutes' conversation, the Prince and Princess 
took leave of them, and got into a charming char-a- 
bancs, with four splendid grey Pecheron horses, driven 
by two French postilions, and preceded by a French 
outrider. The Prince and Princess, myself, Lord 
Carington, Sir S. Baker, and Mourad Pasha, went 
in the first carriage, and were followed by the other 
gentlemen, also in open carriages, and postilions. 
The whole turn-out was quite French, — not less than 
forty of these Pecheron horses having been bought 
and sent out from Paris by General Fleury, for the 
Viceroy. 



108 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



We drove immensely fast, and arrived at the 
Pyramids of Ghizeh about four o'clock. It had been 
arranged that we should visit the Pyramids on our way 
to Cairo in order to save a day, as the time of our 
stay in Egypt is, I am sorry to say, drawing to 
an end. 

Arrived at the foot of the big Pyramid, we found 
a small Pavilion which had been built on purpose for 
their Royal Highnesses' visit. We walked at once close 
up to this colossal Pyramid, which struck me as a 
curiosity, more from its size and height than any- 
thing else. To me, as a mere object to look at, it was 
certainly neither pretty nor interesting in any way ; 
though I know that upon most people the sight of 
this gigantic wonder of the world produces a very 
imposing effect. The Prince and Princess and some 
of us went inside it, and had to follow a very 
narrow passage, leading to the King and Queen's 
chambers. The ascent was very steep and in some 
places very slippery and difficult, besides being per- 
fectly dark. We had some guides with lighted 
candles on their heads, but they went at such a pace, 
pushing and dragging one on almost by force, that I, 
at last, to their great disgust, told them I preferred 
going by myself. They still, however, insisted on 
helping me, saying, "All right, come along," and 



INSIDE THE PYRAMID. 



109 



taking hold of my arm. But I as positively refused, 
and said, "All wrong, leave me alone." At last I 
promised them their backsheesh all the same, and 
then all their eagerness to help me ceased, and they 
were quite satisfied. If I had known how bad the 
way was, I don't think I should have gone ; indeed, 
in some places it was almost quite impossible to get 
on ; we had to climb over bits of rock, and in one 
place there was only a small bit of the rock about 
two inches wide to step on, at a height of two or 
three feet, with nothing above to take hold of but the 
polished and very slippery granite rock, with almost 
a precipice below me on one side — had one's foot 
slipped ! We had also to go quite doubled up, the 
passage being so low ; and the dust was fearful. It 
was so slippery too, that in some places, where we had 
to descend, we had to slide down. We were nearly 
suffocated before we got out again. Afterwards the 
Prince and some of the gentlemen went up to the top 
of the Pyramid, and it was not till one saw them at 
the top of it, that one could really form an idea of its 
vast size, as they appeared more like small flies than 
human beings from where we stood. I was very tired 
after my underground walk, and rested a little at first, 
while the Princess got on a donkey and rode round 
the Pyramid. I soon, however, mounted one also, 



110 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



and we went to. look at the Sphinx: a curious, but 
certainly, to my mind, not a pretty sight. 

The gentlemen now came down and joined us, 
and we rode about till seven o'clock, when dinner was 
served in the Pavilion. Cooks and all manner of 
things had been sent out by the Viceroy, and we 
sat down to a small dinner of nineteen dishes, eight 
entrees, ice, and every possible luxury. 

About ten o'clock we started again, after a very 
pleasant day, and had a delightful drive to Cairo in 
our char-a-bancs. On first starting we had some men 
running by the side of the carriages with torches and 
lanterns, but once down the hills, these wretched men, 
who are expected to run as fast as the horses, were 
dismissed with the expression usual here, " Emshie 
Wala," and off we drove over a rather rough road, 
which has only lately been made to the Pyramids, 
and went at a tremendous pace, I should say quite 
twelve miles an hour. It was a fine starlight night, 
but bitterly cold, and very dusty. We had something 
of an escape on our way back, for we drove in the 
dark up against a high white flag-post which was 
stuck in the middle of the road, the carriage just 
touching it and breaking it clean down. Had we 
struck more fully upon it, it might have been a bad 
accident. 



IMPORTANT LETTERS. 



Ill 



Our road led through a most beautiful acacia 
avenue, almost all the way to Cairo, where we arrived 
about eleven o'clock. We drove straight to our old 
Palace, where we had some supper, or rather looked 
at some, as we were dreadfully tired and none of us 
could eat much. So we went to bed at once, and very 
soft and large did I find mine, after the narrow and 
hard one on board our boat. But otherwise, I must 
say, I regretted my nice and peaceful little cabin, 
when I found myself again in my enormous bedroom. 
However, I felt very grateful that our journey so far 
had gone off so well, and that we had all been perfectly 
well since we arrived six weeks ago in Egypt. 

I must add here, what I have omitted to mention 
in the proper place, that, on our way down the Nile, 
the Prince received letters to say that the differences 
between Greece and Turkey had been happily settled ; 
and that their Royal Highnesses were now free to 
pay their proposed visits to Constantinople and 
Athens. The original plan will, therefore, be adhered 
to, and Mr. Elliot, our Ambassador at Constantinople, 
has been written to to say that he may expect us 
there, after visiting the Suez Canal, about the end of 
the month. 



112 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



CHAPTER VI. 

CAIRO. 

March 17. — Got up late and breakfasted at ten. 
At one o'clock the Prince and Princess went to pay 
a visit to the Viceroy's eldest son, who lives in the 
Citadel ; after which we went to Mehemet Ali's 
Mosque, in which his tomb is preserved. This 
Mosque is exceedingly beautiful. The walls and 
pillars are formed of immense blocks of alabaster, 
something like Algerian marble. We had to put on 
some red-cloth shoes before entering the Mosque, 
the Viceroy's son, who came with us, having to 
do the same. It is contrary to their religious 
customs for any one to enter a mosque without 
either taking off his shoes or putting these on. 
Inside, the floor is covered with beautiful Turkish 
carpets. The marble of the walls is splendid, but 
the effect of the whole is, I think, ruined by the 



MEHEMET ALI S MOSQUE. 



113 



ill-painted decorations of the ceiling, and the common 
glass lamps, and a large chandelier in the centre, such 
as you would expect to see in a ball-room or theatre 
rather than in a church. In the courtyard there is a 
large fountain of really beautifully cut marble, to 
which everybody goes to wash their head, feet, and 
hands, before entering the Mosque for their prayers. 
We found several men kneeling down and praying in 
the Mosque. It struck me here, as it has often done 
elsewhere in Egypt, that their devotion must be most 
sincere, if you are to judge by the strict observance of 
their hours of prayer. It really seems almost ridiculous 
to see these people, without a moment's notice or 
reflection, throw themselves down on their knees, 
turning their heads towards Mecca, wherever they 
are, and whatever their work may be, when the hour 
of prayer comes, which they calculate by the sun. 
On board our boats one constantly saw the captain 
and sailors, in the midst of their work, and always at 
six o'clock, kneel down on deck, praying, and kissing 
the ground. 

Ascending by a narrow staircase in a tower (a very 
difficult matter, as it was very steep and perfectly dark), 
we got on to the leads to look at the view, and had an 
excellent one, over the whole town and country round, 
with the Pyramids in the distance. But the wind was 

8 



114 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

very high, and consequently the air was full of dust, 
which produced almost the effect of a fog all over the 
place. The dust here is a perfect plague ; and it is so 
fine that it goes through everything in the way of 
veils, and spoils both one's eyes and clothes. 

From Mehemet Ali's Mosque we went to that of 
Hassan, a fine thing in its time, but now falling to 
pieces : at least all the carved wood-work is doing so, 
which is a great pity, as there will soon be little or 
nothing left of all this beautiful ancient building. We 
then drove home, and the Prince and gentlemen went 
out riding, while the Princess and myself went for a 
drive on the Shubra road, the fashionable drive of 
Cairo. It was rather amusing to see the Europeans 
driving about, while every now and then carriages 
passed by, filled with veiled Egyptian ladies. We 
met the wife and daughter of the Viceroy driving 
in a very smart little English brougham. We recog- 
nized them through their very thin veils or yashmaks. 
These new veils are not generally adopted by the 
ladies here, but they are very becoming. The fashion 
comes from Constantinople. They knew the Princess 
again at once, and nodded to us like old friends. 

After dinner we went to the Circus, which is quite 
excellent here. We only got home late, and I was 
not in bed till two o'clock. 



SHOPPING IN THE BAZAARS. 11$ 

March 18. — Got up early, dressed in the old Nile 
costume, and after breakfast we were all photographed 
in a group. Wrote some letters, and after luncheon 
we went to the Tombs of the Caliphs, where, however, 
we only visited those known as " El Kaedbai " and 
" El Ashraf." About five o'clock we returned home, 
and the Princess and I started soon after with Abdel 
Kader Bey for the Turkish Bazaar, where the Princess 
bought a bournouse and other things. * The mode of 
shopping here is- certainly peculiar. You sit down on 
the edge of the counter or step of the shop, and ask 
for what you want : they then invariably show you 
something quite different, and it is a long while before 
the article you ask for is produced. Then the bar- 
gaining begins : the man asks you a price, and you 
then offer half. The bargaining goes on, at first in' 
good-humour, then in rather cross words, but generally 
ends with your knocking down the sum to nearly 
half that he had asked at first. One is quite sans 
gene, and puts on and tries the things in the middle 
of the street. Still one must have plenty of time and 
patience to get anything, as they insist upon first 
taking down everything in the shop. For instance, 
if you say you wish for a silk scarf, you must first 
look at all their beads, pipes, table-covers, and 
embroidered slippers ; and though they must perfectly 



Il6 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

well see that you don't want anything of the sort, 
they seem much more eager to spread out these 
things than those you want to buy ! We did not 
agree about the price of a bournouse in one shop, 
so we went to another, and found one just like that 
in the first shop, only that we thought we preferred 
the shape of the first. Abdel Kader Bey, who 
managed the bargaining for us, at once sent for the 
man and bournouse from the last shop. The two 
were compared, and, before the shopman, we tried 
both on, and tried again to bargain for the first, the 
second shopman actually helping us to bring down 
the price asked by his rival, and going across the 
street for a candle that we might see better. But 
he stuck to ten pounds as the lowest price, so he 
was sent back with his goods, and our last friend 
carried the day, the Princess buying his bournouse 
for nine pounds. It was certainly very amusing ; 
but what would they say in England if, when trying 
to buy an article in one shop, one sent for a similar 
article from another, and employed one shopman to 
help you in bargaining with the other ? 

We only got home at seven o'clock. Dressed, 
and dined at once, and went to the theatre, where 
we were received by the Viceroy, who had only 
returned this evening from Suez, where he had been 



VISIT TO THE MUSEUM. 



117 



to see the water let into the Bitter Lakes. The 
French company that is here acts very well indeed, 
and we were much amused; but I was very tired, 
and glad to go to bed at two o'clock. 

March 19. — Got up early in order to go with 
the Princess, at nine o'clock, to be photographed on 
a dromedary. At twelve o'clock the Prince went 
to call upon the Viceroy, and the Princess and myself 
went to see Mrs. Stanton. After we came home from 
these visits, we all went to the " Musee d'Antiquites 
Egyptiennes," which is most interesting and beauti- 
fully arranged. A Frenchman, Monsieur Mariette, 
who has arranged it all, explained everything most 
agreeably. He is the only person whom I ever found 
succeed in making a sight of this kind interesting 
to me. He only stopped us when there was some- 
thing really worth pointing out and explaining, and 
he then held forth and told very many amusing and 
interesting things, which, however, it would be too 
long to try and put down. We returned about two 
o'clock for luncheon, and then prepared our letters 
for the mail. 

At seven o'clock we started for a great dinner 
at the Viceroy's palace Gizerek, on the other side 
of the river. Driving up through the garden was 
really like something in fairy-land. It was all lit 



Il8 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



up with immensely high lamps, with large mat glass- 
shades, which threw the light down on the brilliant 
flower-beds. We passed the big Palace and drove 
up to the Kiosk, which is the gem of all the Viceroy's 
palaces. The whole way was lighted up with different- 
coloured lamps and torches, and it was all as light 
as day. Standing in the outer marble court, with 
its beautiful Moorish arches and its pillars of a rich 
brown colour, their bases and capitals profusely and 
brilliantly decorated, and looking on every side at the 
tastefully illuminated garden, the effect produced was 
indeed most splendid, and carried one at once back 
in imagination to one of the scenes you read of in 
the Arabian Nights. It is quite impossible to describe 
it, but I shall never forget this beautiful sight. The 
interior of the Kiosk is quite magnificent, both as 
regards architecture and decorations, as well as the 
tasteful and splendid way in which the rooms are 
furnished. Most of the rooms are white and gold, 
one mass of mirrors, with rich silk curtains, and 
furniture, the colours of which are all the soft though 
brilliant tints of the old Arabesque or Mauresque 
style. 

I was taken out to dinner by the Viceroy's eldest 
son. We walked through the open court amid a 
display of lights and rockets from every side, with 



ILLUMINATED GARDEN. 119 

fountains playing, which made the scene one of real 
-Eastern magnificence and beauty. 

The dinner was excellent, with every luxury that 
a true French cuisine and French taste could produce ; 
the table beautifully arranged and decorated, and the 
band playing outside in the garden during dinner. 
The dining-room itself is beautiful, white and gold, 
with glass all round the walls, fountains, etc., and 
the floor of inlaid marble, porphyry, and alabaster. 
Everything has been brought from Europe, except 
the design of the building itself, and of the decora- 
tions, which are all in the true old Eastern style. 

After a very long dinner we marched back again 
to the drawing-rooms, and ha*d some coffee (no pipes, 
I am happy to say), and then we went out to look 
at the fireworks, which were again very fine. The 
large marble fountain in front had a row of red and 
blue lights all round ; and the background of the 
garden was here and there lit up by lamps of the 
most brilliant colours. Standing in the outer marble 
court it was difficult to know which way to look ; 
in front you had the display of rockets and every 
kind of firework ; on the other side you saw the 
large ornamental piece of water, in which all the 
brilliant red, blue, and different - coloured lights 
were reflected, surrounded with beds of flowers, and 



120 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



beyond it, as far as you could see, the garden lit 
up in the most picturesque manner, throwing out the 
grottos, fountains, and groups of trees and flowers, 
and making the prettiest picture imaginable of the 
whole scene. A beautiful warm starlight night com- 
pleted the success of this fete. We only got home 
at half-past twelve. 

March 20. — A^ain got up early, and at nine 
o'clock the Princess and myself, with three of the 
gentlemen, started off on donkeys to the bazaars, 
where we made several purchases. We returned home 
at eleven o'clock, when we breakfasted, changed our 
dresses, and hurried off to Miss W T hateley's school — 
the Princess, myself, and Lord Carington — the Prince 
having gone before. There were here children of all 
religions, and she teaches them English, geography, 
&c, sacrificing both her time and money to educate 
these poor children. Some read and sung, and were 
examined while we were there. W T e were able to 
stay a very short time, and had to start at once when 
we got home to go to the races, which took place 
about four miles from Cairo, in the desert. The 
day was most disagreeable for it. The wind was 
very high, which made the dust perfectly intolerable, 
blowing in clouds, so that we could see nothing else, 
and filling our eyes with sand. 



RACES- 



1 — THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENT. 



121 



We arrived at the racecourse in our beautifully 
turned out char-a-bancs, with four horses, postilions, 
and outriders, and two men riding behind on the 
same kind of French grey horses. Red liveries with 
gold, and the horses with bells. There was a royal 
stand, on which were our party, the Viceroy and his 
son, and to which the Ministers were invited. This 
scene was, of course, very inferior to what one sees 
in Europe, very few carriages and people altogether, 
and the whole thing very poor and dull. The 
Viceroy's horses won three races. There was also a 
donkey-race, which was very amusing ; and the Syces 
(the boys who run before the carriages) also had a 
race. 

A large luncheon was served in a tent, and at 
six o'clock we started on our return, dined, and 
dressed as fast as we could, and at 8.30 proceeded to 
" Kazr-el-Nil," the palace where the Viceroy had 
invited us to a theatrical entertainment. The pieces 
were French, and beautifully acted — Les Fcmmes 
qui plcurent and La Corde Sensible. Between the 
pieces an Hungarian singer, Mdlle. Sarotta, sung, 
as did also a French actor, a most amusing song, the 
" refrain " of which was, " Hein, hein, Cela ne va 
guere, C'est une tres mauvaise affaire." The room 
was very hot. We had supper afterwards downstairs, 



122 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



the royalties and myself together at a small table in 
a separate room. 

The Viceroy is on all these occasions most civil 
and amiable to everybody, and his eldest son is quite 
charming, — very nice civil manners, and when not 
shy, he has got plenty to say for himself ; and as 
he has had to drag me about, and sit near me at all 
these entertainments, we are become great friends. 
He is very anxious to improve himself, and is now 
learning four languages, working very hard from nine 
till four every day. He does not like the idea of 
his brother, who is in England, learning English, and 
being himself unable to understand him, so he works 
hard at English during his hours of recreation, and 
told me he learnt twenty words by heart every day, 
and also studies his grammar. The Viceroy knows 
it, but thinks it good for him to work it out for him- 
self, and has not yet given him an English master. 

We now took leave of the Viceroy, as we were to 
start for Suez the next morning, and got home by 
twelve o'clock, or later. At all events, we did not 
get to bed till near two o'clock. I was very tired, 
and hardly able to stand ; and no wonder, as we 
have had very hard work these last two days. 

March 2i. — Got up at 6.30, to pack everything 
and get ready for the start at 12.30, when, to my 



VISIT TO MOURAD PASHA'S WIFE. 



123 



disgust, I received a message at nine o'clock to say 
that we are to stay here for two or three days more. 
Much as I have enjoyed Egypt, and sorry as I am 
our stay in it is over, I cannot say, after having had 
the trouble of getting ready, and having made the 
exertion of getting up early, that I quite appreciated 
this change in our plans ; though, on the whole, I 
am glad to think we shall have a day or two more 
at Cairo, and thus be enabled to visit the wives of 
our Egyptian gentlemen, which the Princess had 
much wished to do, but had been forced to give 
up from want of time. The Prince, who had returned 
last night to the Viceroy, and only got home very 
late, had been persuaded by him to stay over the 
feast of the Beiram, which answers to our Easter. 

We consequently breakfasted late, and rested all 
the morning, when the Prince and most of the gentle- 
men went out. The Princess, myself, and Captain 
Ellis, went at one o'clock on donkeys to the bazaars, 
and only got home at three o'clock. We then lunched 
and dressed, and at four o'clock the Princess and my- 
self drove out in an open carriage with Mourad Pasha 
to see his wife. The drive there was charming - , 
through parts of the town we had not yet seen. 

His house is in the old town of Cairo, and between 
the two towns, we drove through a succession of large 



124 JOURNAL 'OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



gardens. Flower-gardens, and kitchen-gardens, with 
fruit-trees, and particularly fig-trees, that looked like 
gigantic cactuses. His house is perfectly delightful. 
We passed first through a large courtyard, where five 
or six gazelles, and some beautiful large wild ducks, 
were walking about ; and then came to a lovely 
garden full of high trees of roses and jessamine, 
oranges, etc. ; the smell was most delicious as we 
walked through it. It is an immense garden, and 
given up entirely to flowers. On coming to the house 
we were met by his wife. She was not pretty, but 
looked most kind and good-natured. She speaks 
French very well, her father being half a Frenchman. 
Sheriff Pasha, the Minister of the Interior, is married 
to her sister, and they all live in the same house, with 
the mother-in-law and one unmarried sister. She was 
very smart, dressed quite in the Turkish fashion, with 
a loose peach-coloured satin dress, trousers of the 
same, with a gold band, fastened by a large diamond 
clasp round the waist ; a necklace of enormous 
diamonds, diamond and pearl earrings, and a violet 
velvet head-dress covered with diamond ornaments. 

We sat down in a very large cool room, with 
divans all round the walls. Coffee and pipes were 
brought in, and afterwards some of the usual drink 
of rose-water and sugar. Five slaves waited upon us. 



A DELIGHTFUL GARDEN. 



125 



We talked a good while, and she was really most 
pleasant and nice. The Princess was delighted to 
make her acquaintance, as her husband, Mourad 
Pasha, is a great favourite of the whole party, which 
he well deserves to be, for I have seldom met any- 
body so gentlemanlike, kind, and so thoroughly good- 
tempered. 

At last we said good-by, when his wife was not 
allowed to come out even into the garden with us, as 
she was not veiled ! The view from the garden is 
charming. The Nile passing quite close to the foot of 
a high bank, on which the house is built, makes the 
situation very pretty. We walked all over the garden. 
There were two pavilions in it, a small one for the 
ladies and a larger one, with a billiard-table, for the 
gentlemen, — really charming. 

We were given enormous nosegays, and drove 
home again very much pleased with our visit. Arrived 
at home at seven. We dressed and dined as quickly 
as possible, and then went to the Circus. I was very 
tired, and again did not get to bed till two o'clock. 

March 22. — Got up at seven, as the Princess had 
settled to go out early on donkeys. However, she 
was not ready till 11.15, when we breakfasted, and at 
one o'clock started with some of the gentlemen to 
the bazaars. We met the Prince there, and went 



120 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

about shopping till near three o'clock, when we 
returned for luncheon. These rides in the bazaars 
are great fun, and one of the chief pleasures of 
Cairo. 

At four o'clock we started with Abdel Kader Bey 
for a short drive on the Shubra road, and then went 
to pay his wife a visit. He has an old house, rather 
far ofT, but is building a new one in the fashionable 
part of the town, where he expressed a hope to see 
us next time we came to the East ! His wife met us 
on the stairs. He had told me she was pretty, but I 
can't say I thought her so. She looked very pale 
and delicate, and has been very ill. He also showed 
us his little boy, carried in by his old mother. The 
wet-nurse (a black woman) was also presented to us, 
with her own boy, twelve months old, standing by her ; 
and when we said she could not be a good nurse for 
both, he told her, sans gene, to open her dress, and let 
us judge for ourselves if she had not enough food for 
the baby ! Altogether, the interior of the families 
here is very different from anything one ever heard of. 
The wife seems still to be, what she was originally, 
a slave ; and her chief, and, indeed, only merit, seems 
to be her implicit obedience. However, in this 
country the man may separate from his wife when 
he pleases, with or without any reason, if he thinks 



CAPTAIN ACHMET BEY'S WIFE. 



127 



her ugly, or disagreeable in any way ; for instance, 
snoring, or grinding her teeth in her sleep, would give 
him a right to a divorce ! Abdel Kader Bey is also 
a great favourite among us all, being most amiable 
and good-tempered. He speaks German, having 
been for eight years at a college in Vienna, but no 
other language that we could understand ; and we 
have not made any progress in Arabic, which, indeed, 
it seems impossible to learn. 

From his house we went to pay a visit to our 
Captain, Achmet Bey, who lives beyond the Kazr-el- 
Nil. When we arrived he was praying, and could 
not come to us, but his wife soon appeared, and 
received us most heartily and warmly, kissing both 
the Princess and myself most violently. She was 
really very pretty indeed, with a dark complexion 
and a pretty nose, lovely teeth and mouth, and the 
real Eastern eyes and face. She is the only pretty 
woman I have as yet seen here, but rather fat. 
Very smartly dressed, in a sort of violet silk dress, 
woven with gold, and trousers of the same, the skirt 
of the dress looped up to the sides ; with a pearl 
necklace, diamonds on her head, as well as earrings 
and brooches. She was very nice, and had very 
pleasant manners, but could not speak anything but 
her own tongue, yet she never ceased talking! Her 



128 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



husband' arrived a few minutes after, and seemed 
most delighted and proud to show her to us. She 
also sent for her baby, a two-months' old little boy, 
and at once settled him down for a meal, no further 
preparations being necessary, as the gown was not 
even fastened in front, just only a little drapery ! 
Certainly these people do not know the meaning of 
the word shyness, which is in such contradiction to 
their religious scruples about ever showing their faces 
to a man ! She showed us some embroidery of her 
own work, and gave us some of it. 

When we returned home we found the Prince 
waiting for us, as it was already 7.30, and Colonel 
and Mrs. Stanton, Sir Henry Pelly, and Major Alison 
had been asked to dinner at seven o'clock. After 
dinner we all talked together till about eleven o'clock, 
when we went to bed. Lord Huntly and Lord 
Gosford had arrived from India, and came after 
dinner. 

March 23. — This being the first day of the Beiram, 
a great feast here, we got up early and dressed in 
our best, the gentlemen in uniform. The latter went 
at a quarter to ten to pay a visit to the Viceroy, 
as it is the custom on this day for everybody to 
go and pay their respects to his Highness in full 
uniform ; while the Princess, Mrs. Stanton, Miss 



VISIT TO THE VICEROY'S HAREM. 1 29 



McLean, myself, and Abdel Kader Bey, started 
at 10.30 to pay a visit to la Grande Princesse, the 
Viceroy's mother, who holds a sort of drawing-room 
in the Harem. We drove through the garden, which 
was now quite lovely — one mass of flowers, and far 
prettier than when we were here last. We were 
received at the entrance by the Viceroy's eldest son, 
and inside by a great number of slaves who were 
waiting for us. The Harem band played in the hall, 
and slaves in their best and smartest dresses lined 
all the way up to the room where we found the 
Princess. We sat down, and had coffee and pipes 
as on our last visit. Soon after, the second and 
third Princesses arrived, dressed to-day almost quite 
like Europeans. Their dresses were of a sort of beauti- 
ful chine silk, the bodies made exactly in the French 
fashion, and the skirts looped up, so as to show the 
wide trousers underneath. They really looked very 
pretty, and both cheerful and happy. They had 
very few but very handsome jewels on. The fourth 
wife, mother of the Crown Prince, was there also. 
Besides these Princesses, there were the Viceroy's 
daughters, and a great many other ladies — amongst 
them a daughter of Mehemet Ali, the widow of Said 
Pasha — who all came to pay their respects. On 
entering the room they made the usual salaam 



130 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



and gestures with the hands, and curtseys to the 
old Princess, after which they all sat down in a 
row. The usual sort of conversation now began 
through the interpreting of the young Prince ; con- 
sisting of questions as to how the Princess had 
liked her journey, about her children, &c. ; and then 
little civil speeches were exchanged about their 
mutual delight at seeing each other again. Pre- 
sently some wonderful music began from a singer 
that had a great reputation here, but who, to my 
taste, was simply awful. She was covered with 
jewels, and was by way of being handsome. The 
old Princess thinks so much of her singing that 
she has given her a large estate ! 

We were asked to go upstairs to see the room 
prepared for the wedding of the Viceroy's eldest 
daughter. This was, indeed, a very curious sight. 
The walls were covered with artificial flowers — long 
wreaths that looked as if they grew out of the 
panels, and which spread their branches all over 
the walls. The ceiling was hung with draperies of 
tarlatan, in brilliant colours, with silver tassels and 
feathers. All round the walls the most extraordinary 
children's toys were put up on small brackets, — 
wooden horses, tin soldiers, and beasts of all kinds : 
in short, a regular collection of German playthings ; 



PREPARATIONS FOR A WEDDING. 



and this seemed to be what they all most admired ! 
The carpet was spread over with little gold spangles. 
A sort of dais, with three large white and gold 
chairs, was built up for the bride and two of the 
Princesses. 

We then went back to the old Princess down- 
stairs, and the Prince, having sent in to say that he 
had arrived to fetch away the Princess, we soon left, 
after coffee and pipes had again been handed round. 
The Princesses took us to the garden-gate, and seemed 
much amused when the Princess tried, by signs, to 
persuade them to come out with her and see the 
Prince. He and the gentlemen had been smoking in 
another room. Their coming to the Palace in this 
manner is looked upon as a piece of civility or 
etiquette, though, of course, they never see the 
Princesses. 

We now drove home, the Prince and Princess 
together in one carriage, and we all following in our 
smart equipages, with red liveries and powdered ser- 
vants, exactly like the English gala liveries. 

We changed our dresses, and, at two o'clock, the 
Princess and myself started, with two of the gentle- 
men, on donkeys, for a ride through the parts of the 
town we had not before seen. 

The heat to-day was very great, otherwise we 



132 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

have had no heat to complain of since we returned to 
Cairo, and the evenings have been quite cool. We 
returned home at four o'clock, and, after again 
changing our dresses, we went for a drive on the 
Shubra road, and visited " Kazr - el - Nourza," the 
Palace the Viceroy had put at the Prince's disposal 
when he was here seven years ago. 

We returned home to our Palace at 6.30, and 
dressed ourselves as smartly as we could, and went 
to the Palace of Gizerek, where the Viceroy's four 
wives had invited us to dinner. We were met at the 
door of the garden by the young Prince, and, inside 
the door, by the two eldest daughters of the Viceroy. 
We walked through the garden, and in the Palace 
were met by the four Princesses, attended by a great 
number of slaves. They all accompanied us to a 
drawing-room, where coffee and pipes were handed 
round. Then came music, and two slaves brought in 
a most beautiful large gold tray, with a whole service 
of gold, all inlaid with diamonds and rubies ! They 
gave you a spoon, and you took a spoonful of cherry 
preserve, after which a large gold and diamond 
tumbler of water was handed to you. Pipes and 
coffee were again offered, and at last dinner was 
announced, when we proceeded to the next room, 
where the table was laid. Everything was exactly 



DINNER IN THE HAREM. 



133 



the same as at the dinner we had with la Grande 
Princesse on our first visit to Cairo, except that this 
time we sat down on chairs, instead of on the floor. 
I sat between the second and third Princesses. 

We had again to tear off the meat, just as we had 
done before ; but this time I managed to get a good 
bit of turkey with my fingers, and several things that 
I could swallow, and knowing, from my remembrance 
of the last time, the dishes of garlic and onions by 
sight, I was able to avoid tasting them again. When 
dinner was over, beautiful gold basins were handed 
round for us to wash our hands in, and then we went 
back to the drawing-room. We had had a very 
pleasant dinner indeed ; all were very merry, and the 
young Prince in very high spirits, and full of fun. 
We had some very odd singing during dinner, a fat 
creature telling a story while she was singing. After 
dinner there was music and dancing, just like what 
we had already seen. They gave us some photo- 
graphs, and were charmed with some which the 
Princess gave them of herself. 

Shortly before we left them, the Princess having 
expressed a wish to see how their veils were fastened 
on (those, I mean, that they wear out of doors), they 
sent for some, and the third Princess immediately 
began to put it on the Princess, one of the others 



134 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



dressing me up, to their great amusement, and not 
less so to that of the young Prince, who entreated us 
to drive home dressed in this manner, and thus make 
the Prince believe that his Princess had been kept, 
and a slave sent instead ! Our eyebrows were painted ; 
the thin veil was put over the upper and lower part 
of the face ; and a thin kind of silk cloak or bournouse 
was put over us, which they begged us to keep as a 
souvenir of our visit to the Harem. We then said 
good-by ; they kissed us, and in every way showed 
how pleased they were with our visit. The first 
Princess, whom we had not met before, is handsome 
and very young-looking, having a daughter of seven- 
teen. The fourth Princess is the mother of the young 
Crown Prince. She was dressed in . the common 
Egyptian dress — loose jacket, skirt, and wide trou- 
sers. The second and third were dressed in the 
European fashion, with satin and lace, and lace 
bodies, flowers in their hair, and some beautiful 
jewels. We also saw the children of the second 
Princess : one, a nice little boy about seven, who, having 
General McLean for his governor, speaks English 
very nicely ; and a little girl, who spoke French. 

At twelve o'clock we took our departure, keeping 
our Egyptian dresses on, in the hopes of astonishing 
everybody on arriving at our Palace ; but, to our 



OUR COURIER. 



135 



great disappointment, we found our whole party had 
gone to bed, except the Prince, who had not yet 
returned from his dinner with the Viceroy. The only 
person who saw us was Kanne, our courier, and he 
declared he did not know us again, and thought 
us looking far better than usual ! Excellent Kanne ! 
Any account of our travels would be incomplete 
without some acknowledgment of all we owed him. 
What, indeed, should we have done without him ? 
It was Kanne here — Mr. Kanne there — at all hours 
of the day ; and however busy he might be, there 
was Kanne always ready to listen patiently to our 
wants (and sorely his patience must have been tried 
at times !) and to do his best to satisfy them ! I, for 
one, feel that but for Kanne and his perfect arrange- 
ments, our trip could not have been the success it 
proved to be ! 

This is our last night in Cairo. To-morrow we 
go to see the Suez Canal. 



t 



136 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



THE SUEZ CANAL RETURN TO ALEXANDRIA. 

March 24. — Up early, and very busy all the morn- 
ing packing and preparing for our start for Suez. 
We took our final departure from our Palace at 
twelve o'clock, and drove straight to Kazr-el-Nil, 
to take leave of the Viceroy before starting in the 
train from the private station at that Palace. The 
Viceroy accompanied us through the garden to the 
station, where Lord Huntly, Lord Gosford, and Sir 
Henry Pelly, as well as all the English residents, 
had assembled to take leave of the Prince and Prin- 
cess. At half-past twelve we took our places in the 
railroad carriages, and bid a final adieu to Cairo. 
And I think we were all sorry that it was so, for any- 
thing more studiously kind and cordial than the 
Viceroy has been to us all during our stay in Egypt 



CHAPTER VII. 





ARRIVAL AT SUEZ. 



137 



is not to be conceived. Everything that it was 
possible to do for the comfort and accommodation of 
the Prince and Princess, as well as of their suite, has 
been done in a most princely manner, regardless of 
expense and trouble. And seldom, I think, has a 
tour been more successful, or more thoroughly enjoyed 
by every one, than that which we have just made up 
the Nile. In thinking of it, I can discover but one 
cause for regret, namely, that it is over. 

We had a very hot and dusty journey, and only 
arrived at Suez at seven o'clock. Mr. Russell and 
Major Alison have now joined our party for the rest 
of our journey. 

We were met at Suez by Monsieur de Lesseps, 
who is the author and chief director of the Suez 
Canal. He was formerly French ambassador at 
Rome and Madrid, and is a very clever agreeable 
man. It is entirely through his exertions and diplo- 
matic skill that the difficult negotiations for starting 
this great work, getting subscriptions, &c, have been 
successfully carried through. Monsieur Borel and 
Monsieur Lavallez, " Entrepreneurs des Travaux du 
Canal," and inventors of the wonderful machinery for 
dredging (elevateurs a longues couloirs, &c), and 
Monsieur Laroupe, " Ingenieur en Chef de la Divi- 
sion de Suez," also met us at the station. 



138 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

We got ready at once for dinner, which we had 
in the large dining-room of the hotel, being waited 
upon by Indian waiters, all dressed in their white 
coats and small white caps. They waited very well 
indeed ; but it was a long, tiresome affair, with many 
Indian dishes. 

Among the waiters at dinner, the Prince observed 
a small black boy, about fourteen years old, who 
waited very well, and looked intelligent : so the 
Prince after dinner asked the landlord of the hotel 
all about him, and having found out that he was an 
Abyssinian boy, and had an excellent character, he 
at once decided upon taking him home, instead of 
little " AH," or " Nobody's child," who had been 
again taken on trial from Cairo, and whom it was 
now determined to send home from Constantinople. 

After dinner we went out on the balcony, when 
some rockets were sent up from a boat opposite the 
hotel, while a band played below on the quay. It 
was a lovely fresh evening, after the very hot day we 
had had. The French gentlemen, and a Major Clerk, 
an English officer stationed there, dined with us. Got 
to bed early. Very nice clean rooms. 

March 25. — Started by the train at nine to see 
the docks, on arrival at which we« went on board 
an English transport tug and steamed round the 



THE MARITIME CANAL. I 39 

mole and as far up the Canal as we could go. We 
then returned in the tug to the hotel quay, where 
we had breakfast at 10.30, after which we again 
took the train, and started at eleven o'clock for 
Chalouf. A guard of soldiers was drawn up in 
front of the train, to which all the officials accom- 
panied their Royal Highnesses. 

We arrived in half an hour at Chalouf, where we 
alighted and crossed the Sweet-Water Canal in a ferry- 
boat. Horses were here provided for the gentlemen, 
while the Princess, myself, and M. de Lesseps got 
into a small pony-carriage, and the Princess drove 
us along the banks of the Maritime Canal for about 
two miles to see the cuttings now being made, and 
various stages of work at present going on. This 
took us an hour. We then again got into the train, 
and at one o'clock arrived at a place where two 
small steam-launches were waiting for us, and in 
them the whole party proceeded down the Sweet- 
Water Canal to Serapeum, where, on landing, we 
were received by M. and Madame Charles de Les- 
seps, Mdlle. Borel, M. and Madame Guishard, and 
M. and Madame Voisin, &c. The whole party then 
walked through the small town and got into other 
steam-launches, in which we continued our journey 
to the south, down the Maritime Canal, which is 



140 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



certainly a great and most wonderful work. We 
went as far as the dam where the water is being let 
slowly into the Bitter Lakes. This is also a most 
interesting sight. At present everything round you 
seems quite dry, and all looks like the desert ; yet 
by letting the water in in this manner, the lakes, 
which extend upwards of forty miles, will in five or 
six months be quite filled, and in the part through 
which the Canal goes there will be a depth of thirty 
feet of water. Having inspected the dam, we re- 
embarked and returned towards the north, by the 
Maritime Canal, to Lake Timsah (Arabic for croco- 
dile). We arrived there at five o'clock, but it was past 
six before we got to Ismaila, where a triumphal arch 
had been erected at the landing-place, troops lining 
the road, &c. Lord Huntly, Lord Gosford, and Sir 
H. Pelly, joined us here, having arrived from Cairo 
in a special train given by the Viceroy. 

The Prince and Princess got into a basket-carriage 
drawn by four horses ; I was put, with some of the 
gentlemen, into another ; and the rest of the party 
followed on horseback. We thus passed through 
the town and drove about three miles further through 
the desert to the Viceroy's chalet, a very pretty little 
pavilion, built on high ground overlooking Lake 
Timsah. 



THE VICEROY'S CHALET. 



I 4 I 



The Prince and Princess and myself were lodged 
here, the rest of the party, amounting to eighteen, 
being doubled up in some small outhouses and tents 
close by. Dinner was served in a large tent below 
the pavilion ; the French , party, who had been with 
us all day, coming to dinner in a small steamer. 

All the china, plate, servants, &c, had been sent 
out here from Cairo by the Viceroy, and having a 
most excellent French dinner, there was an end to 
any little illusion^we may have been under, that we 
should have to " rough it " during our visit to the 
desert. 

Got to bed at eleven o'clock, but slept very little 
on account of the noise, the servants being busy 
packing and talking outside my window great part 
of the ni^ht. 

March 26. — Left our chalet at nine o'clock. 
M. de Lesseps, who had come over with his party 
from Ismaila, accompanying us. The Princess, 
myself, and Mourad Pasha, went in a basket-car- 
riage with four horses ; the gentlemen on horseback, 
who seemed to enjoy their ride through the desert 
in spite of the heat, and had a good gallop. In 
less than an hour we arrived at El Guisr, and 

there we got out and paid a visit to M. , the 

engineer of the division. He has got the most 



142 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



charming little chalet here imaginable. The garden 
is perfect, filled with beautiful trees, and yet it is 
only the creation of four years, for before that time 
it was still a part*of the desert, which surrounds this 
lovely spot on all sides. All these French people 
seem quite delighted with their existence here, and 
told me they had never felt so well or so happy as 
they have done since they have been in Egypt ; and 
all seem to delight in the pleasures of rides and 
picnics in the desert. 

After a short delay at Senil el Guisr, we embarked 
in the Zenet cl Bachei'ee?i (the steamer the Duke of 
Sutherland had up the Nile), and breakfasted on 
board. The French party followed in a small steamer, 
and the journey was now continued up the Canal 
towards the Mediterranean. About every ten minutes 
we passed some of the gigantic dredges, and won- 
derful machines for cutting out the canal, which, 
when completed, will be from five to six metres deep. 

At Kantara we saw a large caravan of camels, 
&c, this being, from time immemorial, the road for 
caravans from Egypt to Syria. 

At 5.30 we arrived at Port Said, and a very- 
pretty gay sight it was. Salutes were fired from 
the Maliroussa, the Viceroy's yacht, and other ships, 
and all vessels " dressed ship " and manned yards, — 



PORT SATU. 



H3 



a very pretty scene in the evening light. Went on 
outside the entrance of the canal to see the break- 
waters, which are made of blocks of concrete, of 
which 2,500 have been laid down, at a cost of 16/. 
each. Altogether the expenses of the whole under- 
taking seem so large, that, in my stupid mind, I 
cannot understand its being possible that it can ever 
pay. The Viceroy has already given eight millions, 
and I think it has not cost less already than two 
hundred millions of francs. 

We landed, and the Prince, Princess, and my- 
self got into a wretched little waggonette, the only 
carriage at Port Said, the others walking behind. 
We thus drove through the town, followed by an 
immense crowd of people, to the workshops, and saw 
some very clever machinery for executing the works 
of the canal. Most of the workpeople are French, 
with some Italians and Austrians, but I was told 
there was not one Englishman all down the line. 
They make from ten to thirty francs a day. 

We now left Port Said in a state barge, and went 
on board the Viceroy's yacht, MaJiroussa, which is 
to take us to Alexandria. It is a splendid boat, 
as regards luxury, and more like a palace than a 
steamer. It is said to have cost 200,00c/. 

M. de Lesseps and his party had come on board 



144 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

with us, and now took leave. We had dinner soon 
after, and got under weigh at 8 P. M. As soon as we 
got outside the breakwater, we began all at once to 
roll furiously. We were at dinner at the time, — the 
table covered with every kind of luxury in the shape 
of decanters, candlesticks, dessert service, &c, when a 
heavy swell sent the vessel so completely over on 
one side, that everything on the table was thrown 
off with a tremendous crash ! We ourselves were all 
rolled over on the floor, chairs and all ! and hardly 
had we had time to realize our position, before a 
second wave threw the ship over on the other side, 
and upset a whole row of plates and china piled up 
on the sideboard, breaking it all to pieces ! The 
confusion and noise that this occasioned was beyond 
anything I ever witnessed. Fortunately this did not 
last, for once outside the harbour we had only some 
honest, steady rolling, which, though tolerably heavy, 
did not prevent our going on with our dinner. I stayed 
a long time on deck, the night being very fine, though 
blowing hard. The band was playing, and the effect 
of the deck of this immense vessel, so smartly deco- 
rated, reminded me of the scene in the Africaine. I 
was perfectly well, but the heat of my cabin prevented 
my sleeping. 

March 27. — At breakfast, the English mail came 



pompey's pillar. 



145 



in ; but I had no letters. We made an excellent 
passage in our immense boat, going at the rate of 
fifteen knots an hour, and arrived about nine at 
Alexandria. Our arrival was, as before, a very pretty 
sight ; salutes from the forts and from the ships, the 
latter "dressing ship," manning yards, &c. 

After breakfast we all started in the barge, and 
visited the Rasulteen, Mehemet Ali's old Palace, in the 
old durbar, or reception-room of which we had coffee 
and pipes. We then got into carriages (all those 
that we had used in Cairo having been sent on here 
by the Viceroy), and went to see Cleopatra's Needle, 
which is like a small obelisk, and Pompey's Pillar. 
Thence we returned through the town to the dock- 
yard jetty, where we were received as usual by a 
guard of soldiers, and got into the Makrotissas 
barge, and pulled off for the Ariadne. It was blowing 
very hard. 

I confess I was very much disappointed with the 
view I got of Alexandria, driving through the streets. 
It seemed to me like a shabby second-rate European 
town. There was nothing Eastern about it. The 
shops are all French and Italian, and the bazaars 
seemed very poor. The dust was intolerable, and the 
drive up to Pompey's Pillar was by no means refresh- 
ing. Nor when you arrived at it were you rewarded 

10 



I46 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

for the trouble : it is nothing but a very large stone 
pillar, though the size of it, consisting, as it does, of a 
single block of granite, is very remarkable. You 
ought certainly to see this town on first arriving in 
Egypt, and not after Cairo, and all the other beautiful 
and interesting places we have visited. Still I shall 
never forget the impression Alexandria made upon 
me on the morning of the 3rd of February, when we 
first anchored in the harbour — the novelty of all the 
bright costumes and boats, the transparency of the 
air, the brightness of the scenery, and, above all, 
the beautiful lights, which are, to my idea, the par- 
ticular charm of Egypt ! Indeed, I have never got 
tired of watching these lights and shadows ; on the 
contrary, every day I have enjoyed them more and 
more. 

After a good tossing in our little royal barge, we 
arrived on board our old home, the Ariadne. I con- 
fess it was with unfeigned regret I felt that this 
delightful trip was really drawing to an end. How 
much have we all to be thankful for, looking back 
upon these months without a single drawback or 
cause of anxiety. We have all been perfectly 
well, and all news from home has, so far, been 
good. I have, indeed, felt the good the whole tour 
has done me, not only physically, but morally ; as, 



LEAVE-TAKING AT ALEXANDRIA. 



H7 



while you feel well and strong, you cannot help feel- 
ing also happy and thankful ; at least, such have 
been my feelings during these last two pleasant 
months. 

Our big ship looked quite small and poor after 
the gorgeous Mahroussa, the latter being one mass of 
silk hangings, Gobelins, gildings, mirrors, tables of 
Italian marble, mosaic, mother-of-pearl, &c. Still, I 
felt much more snug and comfortable in my old 
cabin here, with its nice bed and bath-room, both of 
which were unknown luxuries on the other ship, in 
which I had all the difficulty in the world to keep 
myself in my hard two-feet-wide berth during the 
heavy rolling of last night, everything in the Mah- 
roussa being sacrificed to the royal state cabins and 
saloons. 

Mourad Pasha, Abdel Kader Bey, Achmet Bey, 
Sir S. Baker, Lord Gosford, Sir Henry Pelly, Lord 
Huntly, Colonel Stanton, and all who had been in 
attendance upon the Prince, came on board, and had 
luncheon with us, after which the four first-mentioned 
English gentlemen left us, as they were to embark 
this afternoon, Sir Samuel and Lord Huntly for 
Marseilles, Lord Gosford and Sir Henry for Malta. 
There was also a packet for Trieste, by which we all 
scratched off a few lines to our friends far away, and 



I48 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

then said a tender farewell to our nice Egyptian 
gentlemen. We were really sorry to part from them, 
and I think they were equally sorry to part with us. 
It is quite impossible for anybody to have been nicer, 
or more thoroughly gentlemanlike and agreeable, 
than both have been during our stay in Egypt. The 
Pasha, who speaks French with great fluency, made 
himself most agreeable to everybody. Abdel Kader 
Bey, though equally amiable, and most good- 
humoured, only speaking German, which several of our 
party did not, never got to know them quite so well. 
He told me, with tears in his eyes, that he wished he 
had never seen us, as he should feel quite lonely and 
miserable when we were gone, which I quite believe, 
as there are as yet very few Egyptians who have 
been in Europe, or, indeed, know much about it ; so 
the sociaL life of Cairo must be very tiresome and 
dull. Indeed, society there is none, and, except their 
own wives, they never see or talk to a lady. 

However, I am getting quite out of my day's 
history. I said we bid good-by to our friends with 
real regret, and also to Colonel Stanton, who is 
most pleasant and kind, and with heavy hearts 
we were making up our minds for a final start at 
five o'clock, especially as it was blowing very hard, 
indeed, a perfect hurricane. We were just watching 



the "ariadne's" screw foul. 149 

the two steamers for Marseilles and Malta, having 
great apparent trouble and difficulty to get off, when, 
to my great delight (very wicked, I confess) we 
heard that a small accident had occurred, which 
made our starting quite impossible. The hawser 
from an Egyptian frigate lying close by, and moored 
to the same buoy as ourselves, had got foul of the 
Ariadne s screw, and was so twisted round it that it 
could not be got free without a diver. So we had to 
remain where we were all night, and I confess I was 
thankful to get a quiet good night's rest, instead of 
the tossing that evidently awaited us outside. 



150 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

CONSTANTINOPLE. 

March 28. — They were hard at work from day- 
light in trying to get the hawser clear ; but it was 
near eleven o'clock before they succeeded. Conse- 
quently, Mourad Pasha, Abdel Kader Bey, and 
Colonel Stanton came on board once more, and 
breakfasted with us. 

The wind had gone down, and there was only a 
heavy swell left, when we finally got under weigh, 
and left the harbour at twelve o'clock, after another 
tender farewell to our kind friends. 

I looked sorrowfully at Alexandria as long as I 
could make anything out ; and very lovely my last 
sight of it was. The palaces and other fine buildings, 
with their gay colouring of white and pale yellow, 
looked beautiful in the bright sunshine, and con- 




I 



AT SEA. 



151 



trasted effectively with the deep clear blue of the 
Mediterranean, forming one of those lovely pictures, 
and producing one of those effects of colour and 
light, which, when drawn on canvas, seem unnatural 
and exaggerated. The scene, too, was enlivened by 
the many ships and frigates in the harbour manning 
yards, " dressing ship," and saluting in all directions, 
as they did also from the forts. A loud cheer from 
our own frigate, and the Egyptian National Hymn 
played by our band, was responded to from the 
Maliroussa with the English National Anthem. It 
was, indeed, a striking scene. 

The day was warm and pleasant (87 Fahr.), but, 
as we got further out, the swell got much heavier, 
and the ship rolled about a great deal, though, I am 
happy to say, I felt quite well, in spite of the wind 
getting up later in the day, which, of course, still 
further increased the motion. 

March 29. — A beautiful bright day, but the swell 
was still heavy, and I remained below with the 
Princess till four o'clock, when I went on deck ; but 
the day had changed ; a disagreeable sirocco wind 
had come on, and the sky was clouded over. Passed 
Rhodes at 6 P.M. 

March 30. — Again a beautiful bright morning. 
Princess up and on deck all day. Wrote all the 



A 



152 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



morning in the cabin on deck. At daylight passed 
Patmos and Levita, off Nikaria at 9 A.M., and at 
noon abreast of Chios. The lights on these islands 
and the colouring very fine. 

March 31. — Passed the Troad, or plains of Troy, 
in the early morning, before we were up, which 
mattered little, as it was still dark. At seven 
o'clock entered the Dardanelles, passing the castles 
of Kuni Kalessi and Leddet Bahar on the north and 
south, the two fortresses built by Sultan Solyman 
the Magnificent to defend the entrance of the 
Straits. At nine anchored off the Inner Castles of 
Asia and Europe, when I came on deck. We were 
saluted by these forts, and Mr. Elliot, our English 
ambassador at Constantinople, Mr. L. Moore, and 
Consul Wrench, who had all come down in the 
Caradoc to meet the Prince, came on board, as 
well as Raouf Pasha, Chief Equerry to the Sultan, 
who had been sent on the Sultan's yacht, Pcrtif 
Piati, to welcome the Prince and Princess. 

We got under weigh again at two o'clock, and 
two miles higher up passed the castles of Sestos and 
Abydos, where Leander, as I was told, used to swim 
across the Hellespont to visit Hero — a feat which 
Lord Byron was very proud of having imitated at 
the same place. About four o'clock we arrived at 



ARRIVAL AT CONSTANTINOPLE. 



153 



Gallipoli, where we remained for a couple of hours, 
to allow the Prince and gentlemen to land and walk 
through the town. 

April 1. — Having run across the Sea of Marmora 
during the night, we anchored about nine o'clock in 
the morning some three miles from Constantinople, 
— a few small and dirty-looking steamers, filled with 
not very distinguished-looking Europeans, coming out 
to look at us. They all cheered lustily, while some 
wretched bands played " God save the Queen." We 
were now transferred in the barge to the Sultan's 
yacht, Pertif Piati, which took us past the entrance 
to the Golden Horn, as far as the Saleh - Bazar 
Palace, which has been given by the Sultan as a 
residence to the Prince of Wales during his stay 
here. We anchored about 100 yards from the quay, 
and landed in the Sultan's caiques, which were sent 
to meet us, with the Grand Vizier, Aali Pasha, 
Khamil Bey, master of the ceremonies, &c. The 
ships in the harbour saluted as we left the yacht, 
and there was a guard of honour drawn up on the 
shore, where the Sultan received us on landing, and 
took the Princess up to her rooms, every one fol- 
lowing. As soon as he left their Royal Highnesses 
we took possession of our apartments, which are 
certainly magnificent : not quite so gorgeous, per- 



154 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



haps, as those we had at Cairo, but fitted up with 
the most perfect taste in the French style. There 
was a large salle, or hall, on each side of which there 
was a beautiful drawing-room, — one hung with black 
Gobelin tapestry, on which figures and flowers were 
represented ; the furniture covered with black satin, 
embroidered also with flowers, with a carpet to cor- 
respond, and all most beautiful. The other drawing- 
room was white, and fitted up and decorated in the 
Pompadour style. My sitting-room was also fitted 
up a la Pompadour, — the furniture being rosewood 
and blue satin, and most comfortably arranged. The 
view from my windows over the Bosphorus was 
splendid. But my first impression of Constantinople 
was not very enthusiastic. In fact, one ought only 
to see Constantinople from the Bosphorus, without 
going into the town, for though the situation is cer- 
tainly beautiful beyond description, and even grand, 
the houses seem to me small, ugly, and irregular, and 
I saw nothing fine in the way of buildings, except 
the mosques and two or three palaces. Nor was the 
reception such as to give one any real impression of 
grandeur. I could not fancy myself in Europe, yet 
there was none of that perfect Oriental look, with all 
the charm of imagination, which we admired so much 
in Egypt. No ! Egypt is still my beau ideal of the 



DRIVE THROUGH PERA. 



155 



East, and the impression it made upon me can never be 
effaced. I asked myself, however, if this want of appre- 
ciation of Constantinople, and our reception here, might 
not be my own fault ; whether I was not already blasee ; 
but I do not think this is the case : though, probably, 
the difference in the weather, which was anything but 
fine to-day, may have had much to do with it. 

The Prince went soon afterwards to pay the 
Sultan a visit at his Palace of Dolma-Batchi. Raouf 
Pasha (whom I knew a little in England), Mustapha 
Bey, equerries, and Spiridion Bey and Jalib Bey, 
officiers d'ordonnance, are the officers attached to the 
Prince during his stay here. 

After luncheon we all drove out, going round 
Pera, and called at the British Embassy. On our 
way back we had to go down a most fearfully steep 
hill, which was, indeed, almost precipitous, and wound 
round in sharp turns. Hearing that the postilions 
and all our present " equipages " had only been 
got up within the last two months on purpose for 
us, I did not feel at all confident that we should 
escape with all our lives and limbs, especially as 
the streets are so narrow that in some of them 
there was hardly standing room on each side of the 
carriages. There was certainly nothing Oriental or 
pretty about the part of the town we saw to-day. 



156 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



We dined at seven o'clock, the Sultan's band 
playing during dinner in the big hall. It is a splendid 
one of 100 musicians ; Guatelli Pasha, an Italian, 
leading it. 

April 2. — At 11.30 we went to the Palace of 
" Beshik-Tash," and saw from there the procession 
of the Sultan going in state to mosque. It was a 
very fine, and even grand sight : the Sultan himself 
riding a beautiful flea-bitten grey horse, and all the 
Generals and principal Ministers attending on horse- 
back in full uniform : 5,000 soldiers were out in 
honour of the occasion, and lined the streets. But 
the most interesting sight of all to me was the oppo- 
site high bank, which was, so to say, covered with 
the native ladies in their white yashmaks (or Eastern 
veils) and bright-coloured dresses. It really pro- 
duced the effect of a beautiful bright flower-garden. 
The Sultan's eldest son, Prince Izzedin, ten years 
old, commanded his regiment, and saluted his father 
going by, and afterwards came up to pay his respects 
to the Prince and Princess ! 

Returned to our Palace at one o'clock, when the 
Prince received a deputation from the English re- 
sidents here. After luncheon we went in state caiques 
up the Golden Horn, to the Sweet Waters of Europe, 
where there was a great gathering of people, espe- 



BEAUTIFUL SCENES. 



157 



daily of women, in their bright costumes, which 
are of every colour of the rainbow, mostly blue, red, 
and yellow, but with some of beautiful brown and 
grey tints, which softened down the effects of the 
others, and produced a perfect harmony of colouring. 

After remaining some time at the Sultan's Palace 
here, when pipes and coffee were offered as usual, we 
returned by land, and had a really lovely drive back 
to Constantinople, past three palaces belonging to the 
Sultan, and through the Garden of Tcherazan, with 
splendid views of the Bosphorus from the high ground 
over which the road led. 

After dinner we went to the theatre at Pera. The 
Prophete was given, but very badly. 

April 3. — At ten o'clock the Prince received the 
Ambassadors, Mustapha Faazid Pasha (brother of the 
Viceroy of Egypt), &c. At twelve o'clock we all 
went in the Sultan's caiques to the Seraglio Point, and 
the site of the Byzantine Palace, burnt in 1864. We 
here visited the Treasury, and saw a curious collec- 
tion of aigrettes, swords, &c, which had belonged to 
former Sultans. We then went to the Beyrout Kiosk, 
the most beautiful specimen of Oriental architecture 
which I have seen, built by Sultan Mahmoud, in 
commemoration of the taking of Beyrout. We here 
found landaus, with four horses each, waiting for us, 



158 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



in which we were driven to the great Mosque of St. 
Sophia. The Mosque is very fine, indeed ; and the 
streets and houses in this part of the town are very 
much better than in any part we had hitherto seen. 
From St. Sophia we drove on to the Seraskieriat, 
where we were received by the Minister for War, 
Houssein Pasha, and by Omar Pasha, the Com- 
mander-in-Chief. Here a few troops defiled before 
us, marching, as I thought, very badly ; and then we 
went to another kiosk, where we had luncheon. 

It was bitterly cold all day, with a piercing wind, 
which made driving anything but pleasant. We 
went on, however, to the Armoury, where Ave saw 
a collection of the costumes formerly worn by the 
Janissaries, and so, by the Mosque of Sultan Achmet, 
and through the bazaars, over Galata Bridge, home. 
There were immense crowds of people in the streets, 
the greater part of which struck me as being European. 
Altogether they say there are upwards of a million 
of inhabitants in Constantinople. 

At seven o'clock we went to dine with the Sultan 
at Dolma-Batchi. The palace is beautiful ; but the 
dinner, though very good and well served (a VEuro- 
peenne), was rather a dull affair, at which we cannot 
be surprised when we are told that this was positively 
the first time the Sultan had ever sat down to dinner 



VISIT TO THE SULTANAS. 



159 



with ladies, or, indeed, that any of his own Ministers, 
except the Grand Vizier, had ever been known to 
sit down in his presence. We were twenty -four at 
table, but twelve of the party were Turks, and 
looked so frightened and astonished that nobody 
ventured to speak a word. In addition to the 
Prince and Princess and their suite, there were 
General Ignatieff, the Russian Ambassador, with 
Mme. Ignatieff ; Mr. Elliot, the English Ambassador, 
and Mrs. Elliot ; M. Bouree, the French Ambas- 
sador, and Baron Prokesch, the Austrian Inter- 
nuntio. The Sultan seemed in good-humour, as if 
he was pleased, but spoke very little. The bill of 
fare consisted of twenty-two dishes, a Turkish and 
a French dish being served alternately. 

After dinner, the Princess and I, with Mrs. Elliot 
and Madame Ignatieff, went to pay a visit to the 
Sultan's mother and wife. This visit was very much 
like those we had paid in Cairo to the Harem of the 
Viceroy, except that here, perhaps, there was a still 
more profuse display of diamonds, every slave (and 
they were all hideous) having their heads covered 
with jewels. There was an Armenian lady who 
interpreted. The dulness and stiffness of the visit 
is hardly to be described. The Sultan has only one 
wife, and she in the presence of the old Sultana 



l6o JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



(his mother) is, according to their etiquette, not 
allowed to speak, and I think it was only in honour 
of our visit that she was not obliged to sit on the 
floor. The old Sultana must have been very pretty, 
and was, so to say, covered with jewels. The young 
Sultana (the wife) had a very nice distinguished face, 
according to our taste, but is not admired here at 
all, being considered too thin. She was dressed 
quite in the European style : a low evening-dress, 
covered with lace, and a long train, the Turkish star 
and ribbon over her shoulder, and, in short, dressed 
like any European princess. 

The most amusing part of the evening was the 
sudden appearance of the Sultan's son, aged ten, and 
daughter, aged nine, who both came marching in, 
followed by slaves ; he, dressed in full uniform, with a 
large diamond star and ribbon ; she, dressed in a very 
smart pink satin dress, with a train quite two yards 
long, all covered with lace, a very high diamond tiara, 
which nearly crushed her, and very heavy though 
splendid necklaces and earrings, &c. ; w r hile to com- 
plete the whole costume, she had a pair of scarlet 
gloves, with one enormous diamond on one finger 
outside the glove ! The poor little thing could hardly 
move under all the lace and finery she was covered 
with. I suppose it was owing to their being so over- 



VISIT TO THE SULTANAS. 



161 



dressed that they both looked even younger and 
paler than they are in reality. It was very amusing, 
however, to see them place themselves, in the most 
dignified manner possible, in large armchairs opposite 
us, the little Princess doing nothing but slip down 
hers, when a slave helped her up again. 

We were offered coffee but no pipes, as the Sultan 
never smokes, or allows any smoking in his Harem. 
A band was playing, that is, about thirty of these 
slaves, dressed in pink and white, stood in a circle, 
and played very nicely indeed. Tea and ices were 
handed round exactly as in any European evening- 
party, which, together with a large table covered with 
fruit and dessert of all kinds, took away all the real 
Oriental look, or illusions of the Harem. It was all 
very different from what we had seen at Cairo, and 
yet a European is hardly ever allowed to visit this 
one at Constantinople, and I think they told us 
it was fifteen years since such a thing had been 
allowed. We spent about an hour there, and then, 
joining the other party, took leave of the Sultan, and 
returned home. 

April 4. — -Sunday, and we all went to the English 
church, which is at the Embassy. Had luncheon with 
Mr. and Mrs. Elliot, and at two o'clock returned to 
our Palace, and from thence went in caiques to the 



1 62 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



English cemetery at Scutari. Dined at home, and 
after dinner a German, Mr. Kellen, came and played 
the piano most beautifully. 

April 5. — Spent the whole morning in the bazaars. 
The Prince and Princess under the name of Mr. and 
Mrs. Williams, with Mr. Moore, and myself, walking 
about without ever being recognized. The bazaars 
are very fine and full of beautiful things ; but again I 
must remark upon the absence of that true Eastern 
look which distinguished everything we saw in Egypt, 
and which we thought so striking and picturesque. 
After dinner most of the gentlemen went to see the 
opera of Martha, the Princess and myself remain- 
ing at home. 

April 6. — Most of the morning spent in choosing 
from things brought from the bazaar to be looked at. 
At 12.30 crossed in caiques to the Asiatic side of 
the Bosphorus, to visit another Palace, Beylerbey, 
belonging to the Sultan. I don't think I ever in 
my life saw anything more beautiful ; indeed no 
description of mine could convey any idea of its situ- 
ation : the magnificent views over the Bosphorus, 
the richness and splendour, and at the same time, 
the perfect taste in which it is filled up, &c. Though 
filled with Oriental luxuries of every description, 
or that it is possible to imagine — marbles, mosaics, 



VISIT TO MUSTAPHA FAAZID PASHA. 1 63 



carpets, &c. — there was nothing the least heavy or 
oppressive ; and gorgeous and rich as it all was, 
anybody might be happy to live there, which is not 
the impression produced by the other Palaces we 
have seen, and which, splendid as they are, give one 
no idea of comfort. This Palace had been prepared 
for the Prince, but Mr. Elliot preferred the other 
as being more conveniently situated. 

From hence we drove in some very nice and 
pretty English carriages, belonging to Mustapha 
Faazid Pasha (brother to the Viceroy of Egypt), to a 
summer-palace or chalet which he possesses about 
three miles off. The drive there was quite beautiful, 
all the way up hill, with splendid views over the 
Bosphorus at every turn. We had an excellent lun- 
cheon here ; but it was a terribly long affair, and I 
could not help thinking what a waste of time it was. 
There were eighteen dishes, and we were two hours 
over it. Then came the usual pipes and coffee. 

The Princess and I went after luncheon to pay a 
visit to the Pasha's daughters, who had come out on 
purpose to receive us. They spoke both French and 
English. At four o'clock we returned home, driving 
to Scutari, about an hour's drive, whence we were 
taken in caiques to the Sultan's yacht, in which we 
returned to the Saleh-Bazar Palace. 



164 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

The Princess and I had no dinner, in consequence 
of our late luncheon, but dressed for the Embassy 
ball, to which Ave went at 8.30. It was a very pretty 
ball, though rather hot ; and as I knew nobody, and 
did not dance, I was not sorry when the time came 
to go home, though this was only at six o'clock and 
by broad daylight. The Sultan arrived at the ball at 
ten o'clock, the first he had ever been present at in his 
own country, and I cannot say he looked amused with 
the novelty of it. There were some very pretty faces. 

April 7. — Nobody up or read}* much before three 
o'clock, except myself, who got up at ten. Not 
having danced, I was not a bit tired. The Princess 
and I went out driving for about an hour, going to look 
at the Sultan's private zoological garden, where he has 
an enormous quantity of parrots and peacocks. 

After dinner we went to the opera — V Africaine 
— and a very poor performance it was. The Sultan, 
the Prince and Princess, and myself were in the royal 
box, in which were also the Grand Vizier, Aali Pasha, 
Mustapha Pasha, and two more of the gentlemen in 
attendance, who were not allowed to sit down. This 
was the first time that the Sultan had been seen with 
ladies in his box, and I heard it created great asto- 
nishment among the natives. 

April 8. — The Princess and myself went with 



THE SULTAN'S STABLES. 



105 



Mr. Sanderson (one of the interpreting secretaries of 
the Embassy) and Mr. Montagu to the bazaars ; but 
made very few purchases. We returned at 2.30, and, 
after luncheon, all went to see the Sultan's stables. 
The stables are very nicely kept. They contain 
about 200 very beautiful horses, each horse having 
a splendid Persian carpet as clothing ! The carriages 
were also shown ; but there was nothing remarkable 
about them. We took a short drive afterwards, and 
then returned home. We dined at the Embassy, 
where there was a large dinner of forty-two people, 
and a small evening-party afterwards. Came home 
soon after 12.30. 

The weather has been very cold to-day, with a 
north wind. 

April 9. — The Princess and myself, with some of 
the party, started at 1.30 in caiques for the Sultan's 
yacht, where Sir A. and Lady Buchanan and Mrs. 
Elliot awaited us. The Prince, with Mr. Elliot and 
the rest of the party, who had been to see an iron- 
clad, the Mahmoudie, lying in the harbour, joined 
us on board, and we at once proceeded to " Bebek," 
where the Grand Vizier, Aali Pasha, has a summer 
residence. The house was very nice, and we walked 
across the garden to the conservatory, or orangery, 
where luncheon was laid out. 



1 66 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

On all these great occasions in Turkey, I am in 
constant dread of being placed between two of the 
natives, who might be able, as is the case with many 
of them, to speak nothing but their own tongue ; and 
as a dejeuner here is an affair of two hours — never 
less than twenty dishes, besides all the odds and 
ends, which have no end — this is not a pleasant pro- 
spect ! So I was delighted to-day to find myself 
placed between our English Ambassador and one of 
the Turkish Ministers, whom I had known in 1865 in 
Paris, where he had belonged to the Embassy. He 
speaks very good French, and as soon as we had got 
over the first few phrases de convenance, he began to 
speak of their Turkish customs, and asked me how I 
liked the dresses of their native women ? I told him 
that I admired them very much, and thought them 
most picturesque and becoming. " But if you had to 
wear them," he said, " you would not think so. Our 
ladies are the most unhappy beings in the world ; 
always shut up, always kept away from all civiliza- 
tion ; and this," he added, " is, to my mind, the curse 
of the country. We are all unhappy, for how can we 
be happy with a wife who is la creature la plus 
ignorante ; qui absolument ne s'interesse a rien de 
ce qui se passe dans le monde ; qui ne peut rien 
comprendre ; et qui n'a ni instruction ni educa- 



TURKISH WIVES. 



tion ?" * I said that I thought they seemed quite happy 
with their wretched position, and would not wish to 
change it ; but he assured me that they nearly all pined 
for freedom, and only wanted to hear the words, " Sor- 
tez, vous etes libres," to throw off their present slavery 
at once. " How can you expect," he went on, "that a 
country should be happy with such customs ? What 
can be more unnatural than a society without ladies ? 
and they again cannot but be unhappy, never to see 
anybody but their own family. Enfin que voulez- 
vous ? c'est une malheureuse destinee qui l'a voulu 
ainsi. Dans les autres pays, chez vous par exemple, 
on a le ciel sur la terre, tandis qu'ici on est toujours 
malheureux. Esperons que nous aurons; au moins, le 
ciel dans un autre monde, et que notre destinee mal- 
heureuse ne nous suivra pas pour reternite." "j* He then 
began, quite of his own accord, to speak of his own 
home, and said he had married twenty years ago, — of 
course without having previously seen his future wife, 

* The most ignorant creature possible ; who takes abso- 
lutely no interest in anything that passes in the world ; who 
can comprehend nothing ; and who has neither instruction nor 
education. 

f In short, what shall I say ? It is an unhappy fate that 
has so willed it. In other countries, with you for instance, there 
is heaven on earth, while here we are always wretched. Let us 
hope that we shall, at least, have heaven in another world, and 
that our miserable destiny will not accompany us into eternity. 



1 68 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



and had been made most unhappy. She was so 
intolerable, that after having tried to bear it, and to 
improve her, he was obliged to separate from her 
after a year. He had then married a Circassian slave- 
girl, whom he bought in the slave-market. The same 
sort of girl, he said, as the Sultan's wife was. " She is 
very obedient, but that is all. Pas moyen de lui faire 
comprendre la moindre chose ! " * I asked if she was 
pretty. " No, quite the reverse," he said. " Et puis 
vous savez qu'elle est tellement maigre — oui ! elle est 
absolument un squelette." -f This seems to be looked 
upon as an unpardonable fault among the Turks, and 
may probably be considered as just a ground for 
divorcing a wife, as the habit of snoring or grinding 
their teeth in their sleep. 

My neighbour was almost a skeleton himself, and 
had a very grave and sad expression. I afterwards 
asked him to explain to me what their religion could 
have to do with their notions about dress, &c. He 
answered that though it was certainly looked upon as 
being contrary to their religion to dress otherwise 
than they did, this was all nonsense, " for after all," 



* No possible means of making her understand the least 
thing. 

f And then, you know, she is thin to such a degree — yes ! 
she is an absolute skeleton ! 



TURKISH MUSIC. 1 69 

he said, " how little do we really observe our other 
religious laws and duties. We are ordered to pray 
five times a day, and many of us do not do it 
more than once a month, or even twice a year. 
Why not then rather change or break through laws 
which, till they are changed, must prevent the country 
from becoming civilized, and make it miserable ? " 

Mr. and Mrs. Elliot, Sir A. and Lady Buchanan 
— who had arrived from Petersburg, via Odessa, last 
Monday, and had remained here on purpose to meet 
the Prince of Wales — Mr. Barron, and some others, 
dined with us. The Sultan's band played as usual 
during dinner, and after dinner his string-band per- 
formed some Turkish music, which I thought quite 
hideous. Mr. Kellen also came, and again played 
most beautifully on the piano. 

The weather has become dull, damp, cold, and 
showery, and we have been obliged to return to our 
warm clothes and furs. In fact, we have arrived at 
Constantinople a full month too early. 

April 10. — We have a fine bright day, which we 
all rejoice in : for as it has been decided that the 
Princess shall accompany the Prince in his proposed 
visit to the Crimea, it is pleasant, after a whole week 
of heavy blowing weather, to have the prospect of 
a smooth passage over the Black Sea. We were 



170 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



to lunch with the Sultan, and to start immediately 
afterwards. 

At eleven a photographer came and took several 
photographs of our party in groups. 

At two o'clock the Prince and Princess, with 
myself and Colonel Teesdale, went to our luncheon 
with the Sultan at the Dolma-Batchi Palace ; the other 
gentlemen coming in afterwards to take leave. The 
luncheon was not lively, which, indeed, it was impos- 
sible it should be, when you could only communicate 
by means of an interpreter. Scarcely a word was 
spoken, for the Turks dare not speak in presence of 
the Sultan, and the Sultan himself hardly uttered 
a word, even to the Princess. 

Before we left we were taken to see a magnificent 
reception-room or hall, one of the largest and most 
beautiful rooms in the world. Groups of officers in 
the national costume were dotted all about it — all 
standing in attitudes of the deepest humility, their 
eyes cast down, their arms crossed, and taking care 
always to face the Sultan in whatever part of the 
hall he might be ! The abject manner in which even 
the highest officers carry themselves towards the 
Sultan — like slaves crouching before their master — 
is, to my mind, quite sickening, and I don't think I 
could live long here without becoming a republican ! 



DEPARTURE FOR THE CRIMEA. 



171 



At half-past four we took leave, and were con- 
veyed in caiques on board the Ariadne, our Turkish 
gentlemen, and the English Ambassador, with the 
members of the Embassy, coming on board to see 
us off, and take leave of the Prince and Princess. And 
so ended our ten days at Constantinople, which, on the 
whole, have been very interesting, everything possible 
having been done to make our stay pleasant. The 
gentlemen attached to the Prince were most gentle- 
manlike and attentive, and did everything in their 
power to be of use to us. 



I 



172 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



There was a strong breeze when we got under weigh 
to leave the Bosphorus, but it was a fine bright even- 
ing, and the sight as we started was very fine and 
picturesque. All the shipping was, as usual, dressed 
out with flags, their yards were manned, there was 
the customary firing of salutes on. all sides, bands 
playing, &c, and altogether it was a bright and a 
gay scene. 

I had naturally been much interested in many 
things that I saw here, but I cannot say that I left 
Constantinople with much regret. The situation of 
the town and the Bosphorus are exceedingly beautiful, 
and, of course, I admired it all, as every one must ; 
but I must add, that I never saw a place I felt so 
little inclined to fall in love with. I am told, how- 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE CRIMEA. 





* 



SEBASTOPOL. 1 73 

ever, that I should learn to like it after a longer 
residence, and that those who live iiere any time get 
very fond of it. 

Sir A. Buchanan goes with us to the Crimea. 

At half-past seven we entered the Black Sea. 
The wind has fallen, and we have every hope of a 
fine passage. 

April n. — A beautiful day, and the ship perfectly 
steady ; but at sea, and out of sight of land, of course 
there is nothing to record. We are told that we shall 
be at Sebastopol early to-morrow. 

April 12. — Made the Crimea about six in the 
morning, and at nine o'clock steamed in, and 
anchored in the harbour of Sebastopol. It seemed 
odd to find oneself thus in a place of which one had 
heard and read so much during the war, and which I 
so little ever expected to see. Everything, however, 
looked so very different from what one had then 
imagined to oneself. Not a single ship in the 
harbour, and all the forts and fortifications — indeed, 
the whole town on the south side — almost one mass 
of ruins. The debris of houses, forts, and barracks 
remain just as they were left in 1856, and a popula- 
tion which then amounted, it is said, to 60,000, has 
been reduced to 5,500 ! 

As soon as we had anchored, a boat came alon^- 



1/4 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

side, with the Governor-General of New Russia, 
General Kotzebue, who, with General Jukoffsky, 
Governor of Crim Tartary, had come from Simpher- 
opol to meet the Prince of Wales, and now came at 
once on board the Ariadne. They were accompanied 
by Admiral Kisalinsky, Commandant of Sebastopol, 
Colonel Baron Osten-Sacken, aide-de-camp to General 
Kotzebue, M. Hetrovo, a secretary, and Mr. Stevens, 
English Consul at Odessa. 

But, before I proceed further in copying out my 
recollections of the Crimea, I feel bound to state that 
I am indebted to one of our gentlemen, who had 
been in the Crimea during the war, and who most 
good-naturedly allowed me to see his own notes, for 
all my information as to names, localities, or the 
events which had then occurred. I could not possibly 
know anything about them myself. 

To resume the day's history. The Russian autho- 
rities having paid their respects to the Prince and 
Princess, and offered even' assistance in their power 
towards showing everything there was to be seen, we 
landed on the Xorth side about eleven o'clock, and, 
getting into carriages with four horses abreast, drove 
at once, at a terrific pace, to the Russian cemetery, 
where a pretty chapel has been erected as a mauso- 
leum to the soldiers and sailors that fell during the 



VISIT TO THE ALMA. 



175 



siege. The interior is not yet quite finished, but 
promises to be exceedingly handsome when complete, 
with beautiful frescoes and mosaics on the walls, and 
a splendid head of our Saviour in the middle of the 
ceiling. 

The graves outside are very large — eighty men 
being buried in each — with large white marble slabs 
over them. There is also a monument in the ceme- 
tery to Prince Gortschakoff, who was Governor of 
Sebastopol during the siege, which, with his bust, is 
the principal object in it. 

Having seen all that was to be seen here, we 
again entered our carriages, and drove at a furious 
pace to the Alma, performing the distance, which is 
about sixteen miles, in an hour and a half! The 
* Prince and all the gentlemen here mounted horses, 
which had been sent on with a Tartar escort, and 
rode up to examine the Russian position from the 
high hill. The Princess and I followed in a pony- 
carriage ; but driving over the very rough ground, 
still full of great holes made by the shells that fell 
during the battle, was not pleasant, and the carriage 
soon breaking down, we got into a larger one with 
four horses. We first drove to the " 18-gun Battery." 
The battery itself is now worn down, but the em- 
brasures can still be made out. We then went to 



1/6 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



" Bouliak " post-house at the bridge over the Alma. 
The bridge is still broken down, as it was left after 
the fight, and we drove through the water, Mr. Russell 
pointing out where the Duke of Cambridge crossed it 
with his Staff. We now drove along the river, down 
where the French line had stood, till we came a little 
way beyond where Prince Napoleon's division had 
been drawn up, and then, turning back, drove along 
the whole position occupied by the English army 
before the action commenced ; and so on to a Tartar 
farmhouse, which had been used as a field hospital 
on the 20th September, 1855, but where now a most 
excellent luncheon had been prepared for us by the 
Russians. 

At five o'clock we again got into our drotskas, 
and drove back to the North side of Sebastopol, from v 
whence we had started, crossing the Katcha and 
Belbek rivers by the way. We were fortunate in 
having with us in Mr. Russell, Major Alison, and 
Captain Ellis, three people who had been here during 
the war, and they now pointed out to us the different 
points of interest in the road — where the army turned 
off to make its flank march, &c. Our way back led 
us through the Severnaia, or Star Fort, and a long 
line of earthworks thrown up by the Russians after 
the South side fell. The pace at which we drove 



DRIVE THROUGH SEBASTOPOL. 1 77 

home was tremendous ; but these Russian coachmen 
drive beautifully, and I cannot say I felt frightened. 
It was seven o'clock when we got back to the 
Ariadne, where the Russian gentlemen all dined 
with us. 

April 13. — We had intended to commence our 
day's sight-seeing to-day at nine o'clock, but it rained, 
so that we did not get off till eleven. W e first went 
to the Old Fort Nicholas, the landing-place on the 
South side, where we found a guard of honour drawn 
up, and a drotska waiting, into which the Princess 
and I got ; the Prince and all the gentlemen mount- 
ing horses which had been provided for them. We 
then went up the main street leading to the head 
of the Dockyard Creek, accompanied by General 
Kotzebue and his staff, and with a large escort of 
Tartars. 

It was really sad to see every other house, and 
most of the principal buildings in this part of the 
town, still in ruins ; and you can still trace the marks 
of the balls in the walls that are left standing. 
Passing the site of the Creek Battery and the Barrack 
Battery, &c, we visited what was known as the 
" White Buildings," the Hospital, &c, the walls of 
which alone remain standing, completely riddled with 
shot and shell, and the ground covered with ruins. 



i;S JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

It was really melancholy to see all this, and then to 
think how little this frightful scene of desolation, with 
all its accompanying bloodshed and loss of life, is 
now even thought of! I could not help feeling a 
little ashamed in presence of these Russians, thinking 
what their feelings must be at having- to show these 
scenes to Englishmen, who they must have felt would 
only regard with pride such monuments of their vic- 
tories over their unfortunate countrymen. But they 
behaved beautifully, and even pointed out to us the 
dirYerent places where they had been beaten ! 

We drove thence along the site of the famous 
Redan, to the point in front of that work, where the 
monument to the British troops who fell in the 
attacks upon it, and in the trenches, has been erected. 
The lines of the English trenches, zigzagging in ail 
directions over the old battle-fields, and the sites of 
the batteries, are still to be distinctly traced, and give 
one a more vivid idea of what it must have been 
at the time of the siege, than all one can read about 
it. The gentlemen who had been here showed us 
the very spots where their huts had stood, &c. 

From this we drove by the " Quarries" to the left 
of the right attack, above the " Woronzow Ravine," 
and thence across an open space to " Cathcart's 
Hill," where a quarter of an hour was spent in 



INKERMANN, THE MALAKOFF, ETC. 1 79 



examining the' tombstones. Many picked wild- 
flowers here for the friends of those who were here 
buried. There are not less than seventy-one different 
cemeteries or burying-places for the English who fell 
during the war ; but I am sorry to say they do not 
seem to have been taken care of as they ought to 
have been. 

We then drove along the lines of the second 
Brigade of the Light Division, past the head of the 
ravine named the " Shadow of Death," to the "Wind- 
mill." Here, in a half-ruined outhouse, we had our 
luncheon, after which we again started for the 
" Saponnie " heights, from which we had a good view 
of Trachtir Bridge, and the field of the battle of the 
Tchernaya. Passing thence by the camp of the 
Second Division, we came to the field of Inkermann, 
and the famous " Sand-bag Battery," immortalized 
by the defence of it by the Brigade of Guards ; 
and close below which Sir George Cathcart was 
killed. 

We next proceeded by the " Creek " road, past 
the " Little Redan," on to the " MalakorT" Tower, in 
the ditch of which nearly 4,000 French lie buried. 
Here we all alighted, and scrambled up the ruins of 
the old round tower, which, however, never was round, 
but had the shape of a horseshoe. From hence we 



I 



| 



1 80 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

had a beautiful view, and got an excellent idea of the 
nature and extent of the Russian defences. The 
Russians have here erected a very pretty marble 
cross to the memory of the many soldiers who 
perished in defending the tower. 

From the Malakoff we descended the hill, past 
the dock walls, which are still like a sieve from shot, 
and had a look at the docks themselves. General 
Kotzebue remarked, " II faut vous dire que la de- 
struction des docks etait un acte de barbarisme." * 
They were once splendid, and cost mints of money. 
On our way back to the ship we passed a monumental 
statue to Admiral LazarofT, who was the creator of 
the Black Sea. fleet. 

From hence we started off at full gallop, and 
had a regular race with the riders, and certainly 
beat them. It was great fun, I must say, though 
in any other country I should have said that we 
were being run away with, and I don't think we 
could possibly have gone much faster. It was most 
exciting, and I never felt the least nervous ! 

I may mention here that wherever we landed or 
drove through a village, the inhabitants all rushed out 



* I must tell you that the destruction of the docks was an 
act of barbarism. 



INTERESTING DRIVE. 



181 



and offered the Princess a large loaf of black bread, 
and a small cup filled with salt. This is the 
sign of hospitality in this country, and was always 
accepted. 

The Russian gentlemen, with Madame and Mdlle. 
Kotzebue, dined on board with us. 

April 14. — I forgot to say that yesterday was 
a very cold day, with a bitter and piercing wind, and 
real northern temperature. To-day it was still very 
cold, but luckily very fine and bright, though, coming 
from Egypt, where we had had the thermometer ioo° 
or more in the shade, we feel the change very keenly. 

We all landed at half-past ten, and found several 
drotskas ready for us. The Prince and Princess 
went in one with four horses abreast, with Sir 
A. Buchanan and General Kotzebue, and I followed 
in another, also with four horses abreast, but with two 
more as leaders, my companions being Mr. Russell, 
Captain Ellis, and Major Alison. This made the 
drive very interesting to me, as they knew every bit 
of ground we passed, and could describe it all as 
it looked during the war, making me almost fancy 
that I had seen it all myself. Without this informa- 
tion to give it interest, I can conceive nothing more 
dull or monotonous, or so completely without beauty, 
as the road over these enormous plains. We drove 



1 82 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

as usual at a full gallop, through the French lines, 
past their head-quarters, and so on to their great 
cemetery. The French have most carefully collected 
all their dead, and buried them here, in one large 
cemetery, and are thus enabled to have it kept in 
good order, though the several small mausoleums or 
vaults enclosed in it are not of a very pretty shape. 

It is impossible to help being struck and mortified 
at the little care taken, by the English, of the burying- 
places of their dead, compared with that shown by 
both French and Russians. The French have recorded 
the names of even the meanest soldiers who fell during 
the siege, and are careful to preserve their cemeteries : 
We seem to have given little concern to these objects. 

We then went to the English head-quarters, 
where the house in which Lord Raglan lived, and 
where he died, is now inhabited by a retired Russian 
officer. A small marble tablet in remembrance of 
Lord Raglan has been put up in the wall of the house, 
his heart, &c. being buried in the grounds outside, 
under a marble slab. Two large cypresses, which look 
very pretty, have been planted on each side. 

We next drove to the monastery of St. George, 
where we remained for some time, enjoying the 
beautiful view over the Black Sea from the high cliff 
on which it is built. The interior of the chapel is 



BALAKLAVA. 183 

beautiful, and I enjoyed my visit to it, with the lovely 
view, very much. Four old monks still live here. 

We went on, by the road made by the English 
"navvies," on which the traces of the railway still 
exist, through Kadikoi and Balaklava. There were 
here much fewer traces of the war, almost the only 
relics of the past being innumerable broken bottles 
to mark the ground where the British soldiers had 
been encamped. 

In the harbour of Balaklava we found the Psyche, 
in which we embarked, and steamed out of the 
harbour to see the fine rocks at the entrance, where 
the ship Prince was lost in 1854, and where the 
Duke of Cambridge had such a narrow escape in 
the Retribution. On relanding we went for a few 
minutes into a Russian house, where we were offered 
some bread, cheese, and caviar. We here also saw 
an old Greek officer, whose daughter a Colonel 
Biddulph, while stationed near the monaster}- of 
St. George, had fallen in love with and married. It 
was now getting late, so we had to hurry on in 
order to visit the field of Balaklava. Passing under 
the village of Kadikoi, we stopped close to the 
position of the Russian battery. The whole affair 
was then described both by our English and the 
Russian gentlemen. We then continued our route 



184 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

at a full gallop through the beautiful Baidar valley. 
Even now it was quite lovely, and must be extremely 
so when everything is green and warm-looking. But 
at present it is still quite like winter. 

We changed horses at Baidar, and went on up the 
hill to " La Poste de Baidar," and through the 
" Pharos Pass," a stone gateway on the crest of the 
hill, 3,000 feet above the sea, from whence the view 
was really grand and beautiful. 

It was now four o'clock, and we were glad to get 
some luncheon, which was prepared for us in a sort 
of open tent or summer-house, where we were received 
by Madame and Mdlle. Kotzebue. We started again 
at five, and drove at a really furious pace down the 
winding road along the coast, under magnificent 
rocks and precipices, with villas at intervals all the 
way, and the ground cultivated close down to the sea. 
I cannot conceive a more beautiful drive, and I must 
say I did most thoroughly enjoy the fine scenery of 
mountains, combined with the civilized look of culti- 
vated land, having seen nothing of the kind for a 
long while. The drive, however, was a very long 
one, and it was half-past nine before we arrived at 
Livadia, a summer-palace belonging to the Empress 
of Russia, where we were to pass the night. The 
distance from Sebastopol is sixty-five miles ; and 



FURIOUS DRIVING. 



I8 5 



when the late hour at which we started, and the 
numerous stoppages and many deviations we had 
made from the direct road, are considered, some idea 
may be formed of the pace at which we were driven. 
We seemed really to fly, so to speak, through the 
air, without the slightest check round the sharpest 
turns, as the road wound almost all the way down-hill. 
There was a mixed feeling — of confidence, in thecoach- 
man and horses, and of a conviction that, if an accident 
did happen, nothing on earth could save you, as, on one 
side, you had the rocks rising almost perpendicularly 
above you, and a fearful precipice below you on the 
other. Yet, though it grew quite dark, and we had 
no lights, we galloped on at the same furious pace all 
the way, and yet, strange to say, I was rather amused 
than frightened. 

Our party in the carriage was very pleasant, and 
Mr. Russell told us many amusing stories of old 
times, both of war and peace. 

Livadia, where we sleep to-night, is a perfect gem 
of comfort and beauty, fitted up in the most perfect 
taste — everything beautiful, yet so quiet — nothing 
gaudy about it — no gilding or silk hangings, but my 
very beau ideal of what such a summer-chalet should 
be, as a residence to which one would wish to fly for 
rest from a bustling fussy town life. However, we 



1 86 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

were all tired — no ! / was not a bit tired — but, after 
dinner, to which we did not sit down till ten o'clock, 
we all went to bed. 

April 15. — After a very good night's rest, the first 
thing we did this morning was to go outside the 
house to look at the scenery, which has been so 
much talked of. I did not say half enough yesterday 
of the beauty of the place. I could then only speak 
of the impression made upon me by the interior of 
the house ; but now, on getting a complete view by 
daylight of its situation, and of the grand scenery by 
which it is surrounded, I may well say that this little 
secluded spot seems a perfect paradise. The tremen- 
dous granite precipices in front of us, rising to summits 
covered with snow, with the sea on the other side, 
form a combination of the grandest beauties of nature 
with which those amongst us who knew Switzerland 
said even that country could scarcely compare. 
Looking upon the scene from these grounds and 
from a garden full of beautiful flowers, it seemed 
like a spot of which one might dream as the abode 
of peace and happiness, rarely attained on earth. 
An hour — all we had — was far too short a time to 
enable one to take in all its beauties, and I can 
only wish that it was nearer England, so that I might 
have a chance of seeing it again. 



BEAUTIFUL VILLAS. 1 87 



Count Stenboch (his family is of Swedish origin) 
did the honours of the place, and was most kind and 
amiable. He had been sent all the way from St. 
Petersburg on purpose to receive us ! The Ariadne 
and Psyche lay off the town of Yalta, having been 
sent round from Sebastopol to meet us. 

Soon after breakfast we set out in small drotskas 
to visit several other villas in the neighbourhood. 
First one close to Livadia, belonging to the Cezaro- 
witch ; then by the same road we came yesterday to a 
large one belonging to the Grand Duke Constantine ; 
and so on to Aloupka, a most beautiful villa of 
Prince WoronzorT's. Prince Troubetskoi, brother to 
the Princess Woronzoff, had come here by her desire 
to receive the Prince and Princess of Wales. We 
looked at everything inside and outside the house, 
admiring it all beyond measure, and then sat down 
to a magnificent luncheon. As soon as that was over, 
we drove in some small pony-carriages through the 
grounds (I driving Sir A. Buchanan), ending at the 
landing-place, whence we went off to embark once 
more in the Ariadne, which had come round from 
Yalta to take us on board. 

All our Russian friends came on board to take 
leave, and, at seven o'clock, bidding them finally 
farewell, we left the Crimea, with much regret on my 



1 88 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

part, that our time in that beautiful country had 
been so short. The four days spent amongst these 
most amiable and most hospitable Russians have 
been very happy ones, and I don't think there is any 
part of our travels on which I shall look back with 
more pleasure. I only feel that the time allowed us 
was much too short to enable us really to enjoy our 
visit to this lovely coast as we might have done. But 
has not this been rather the case all through our 
travels ? Has not too much been crowded into the 
time, and have we not consequently been forced to 
hurry through scenes which one would have liked to 
be able to visit more leisurely ? As it is, however, I 
have so thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip, that I will 
not complain. 

I must add, before leaving the subject of our visit 
to the Crimea, that I was much struck by the 
exceeding kindness and genuine hospitality with 
which the Russians everywhere met us. It was 
impossible, while receiving their cordial attentions, 
not to think of all the injury and loss which we had 
inflicted upon them. Yet they pointed out the scenes 
of all the most interesting events of the war with a 
good nature by which one could not but be touched ; 
showing no rancour against us, and themselves 
pointing out their own blunders. But when I think 




^IM- 



PARTING IMPRESSIONS. 



189 



of the impression which Sebastopol and its harbour — 
one a perfect ruin, the other without a ship to be seen 
in it — made upon me, a perfect stranger, I can well 
imagine what the feelings of mortification must be, 
however well they conceal it, with which the Russians 
themselves must have escorted round this scene of 
ruin and desolation, those to whose countrymen it 
was chiefly owing. " A la guerre, comme a la guerre ! " 
may be the answer to these reflections, as it was the 
one made to me when I expressed them ; and so I 
suppose it will ever be, as long as nations will have 
recourse, in order to settle their quarrels, to the 
fearful, and, to my mind, unchristian decision of war. 

With which moral reflection I bid a very reluctant 
farewell to the Crimea. 




190 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



CHAPTER X. 

ATHENS AND CORFU AND RETURN JOURNEY 

HOME. 

April 16. — We have had a lovely night, and made 
good progress on our way, running thirteen knots all 
night in perfectly smooth water. It has continued 
equally fine all day, and at eight this evening, after a 
very quick passage, we anchored again opposite the 
Sultan's palace. We remain on board, as we only 
stay here till to-morrow evening, when we are to 
sail for Athens. 

April 17. — On board all the morning till after 
luncheon. The Prince went, with his two equerries, 
to pay a farewell visit to the Sultan, who soon after 
returned it on board the Ariadne. 

There was a large party to luncheon, consisting 
of the English and Russian Ambassadors and their 
wives, our Turkish gentlemen, and some of the 



LEAVE-TAKING AT CONSTANTINOPLE. 191 



Turkish Ministers. It was half-past four before they 
left us, when the Princess and I immediately changed 
our dresses, and had a delightful drive with Mr. Elliot 
and Mr. Moore. The day was charming, and the 
change of climate since we were here a week ago, 
quite delightful. 

We returned to the ship at half-past six, took 
farewell of the gentlemen who had remained on 
board, and got under weigh at eight o'clock. Our 
departure was again a very pretty sight. The Ariadne 
was lit up with red and blue lights, held by men at 
the end of each yard-arm. The Turkish ships, too, 
were all illuminated, with lights hung all over them, 
to the very mast-heads, and with a light in each port. 
Rockets were sent up in profusion, while music and 
cheering were heard on all sides. The weather, too, 
was all that could be wished, for though there was no 
moon, the night was beautifully calm and fine. 

April 18.— We had a smooth passage all night 
across the Sea of Marmora ; but when we arrived at 
the forts of the Dardanelles to-day, it began to blow, 
and the wind soon rose to such a hurricane, that we 
anchored, and remained all day inside the Straits. 

April 19. — Detained all day by the continuation 
of the gale. Towards evening it moderated, and we 
again got under weigh. 



192 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

April 20. — A cold rainy day. About nine in the 
forenoon we passed Cape Colonna and the ancient 
Temple of Minerva ; and at one, came in sight of the 
Piraeus, the port of Athens, and entered the little 
harbour under salutes from all the ships lying here. 
Soon after we anchored, the King and Prince Fre- 
derick of Gliicksburg came on board. Mr. Erskine, 
the English Minister, and the gentlemen of the 
Legation, had already done so. We had luncheon on 
board, and at three o'clock went on shore in the 
King's barge, and landing close to the station, went 
at once by the railroad to Athens. This is the first 
railroad that has been made in Greece, and is the 
only one yet existing ; indeed it has only been com- 
pleted, I was told, within the last few days. We 
arrived in about ten minutes, and drove straight from 
the station to the Palace, a large and imposing build- 
ing, in the middle of a beautiful garden full of flowers, 
and orange and other fruit-trees. It is well situated, 
and the views from the windows, of the sea on one 
side, and the mountains on the other, are very fine. 
The rooms are well arranged, and furnished with 
much taste, everything having been done under the 
immediate directions of the King himself. 

I spent the afternoon quietly in my own room 
till dinner-time, which was at seven o'clock. 



RECEPTION AT ATHENS. 



193 



The King is come to Athens on purpose to receive 
us, from Corfu, where the Court is at present esta- 
blished, and where he has left the Queen. We are 
only to remain two days at Athens, to see as much 
as we can in the time, and then to accompany the 
King on his return to Corfu. He is kindness and 
cordiality personified, and I have been much struck 
by his unaffectedly amiable and civil manners. In 
fact it is impossible to conceive any one less spoiled 
or changed by his position. He is just the same as 
he used to be when I first knew him as Prince 
William of Denmark ; yet his position is by no means 
an easy one, and, from all I hear, he has shown much 
character and judgment under very difficult circum- 
stances. The Marechal de la Cour, M. Rodosthonos, 
one of the Queen's ladies, Mdlle. Kolocotronos, and 
the King's equerries, have also been sent here to 
receive us. 

April 21. — It was delightful on awaking this 
morning to find again the most beautiful, warm, 
delicious weather ; the air so light and soft that it 
reminded me of our charming Egyptian climate ! 
The view of the hills from my room was quite 
beautiful. 

Breakfast was at ten, and at twelve we com- 
menced our sight-seeing with a visit to the Acropolis, 



194 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

the Parthenon, Erectheum, Temple of Peace, &c. 
Certainly I never saw anything finer than these 
grand buildings of white marble ; of which, in spite 
of the destruction wrought by the hands of foreigners 
— and principally, it is sad to think, by the English — 
anxious to possess the fine works of art by which 
they were originally adorned, enough still remains to 
give one some idea of what they must once have been ! 

We then visited the Temple of Theseus, the ex- 
terior of which is well preserved ; the inside being 
a sort of museum, full of fragments and pieces of 
sculpture, all more or less mutilated, which have been 
here collected. 

We next visited the Temple of Jupiter, of which 
nothing remains but the columns, and then returned 
home. 

After luncheon, the King and Prince of Wales 
rode out together, while the Princess and I took a 
drive. 

In the evening there was a large state dinner of 
120 people. The dining-room is very fine. The 
servants, of whom there were great numbers, were 
all dressed in the national costume (the dress they 
always wear), which had a pretty effect. It consists 
of a short, stiff, plaited white petticoat, coming down 
to the knee, and a short richly embroidered jacket 



THEATRE OF BACCHUS, ETC. 195 

and waistcoat, with long open sleeves. The servants 
all wore moustaches. It is said that the King wanted 
to alter this custom, but a Greek would rather 
give up anything than allow his moustache to be 
cut off! 

After dinner there was a long evening, and we 
remained standing for nearly two hours ! 

April 22. — We visited to-day the Greek Cathedral, 
and afterwards the Theatre of Bacchus, which has 
been only lately excavated. It is a large amphi- 
theatre : the floor and seats, which look like arm- 
chairs, of white marble, a name being engraved upon 
each seat. This, I was told, was the first theatre 
ever built ; and that the first Greek plays were here 
acted. 

We returned home to luncheon, and, after writing 
some letters, we took a walk through the town, and 
came home through the Royal Gardens, which are 
very pretty, and full of the sweetest flowers. 

After dinner we again drove up to the Acropolis, 
which was illuminated. The effect was very fine, 
and made finer by the bright moonlight, and we 
remained admiring it for near an hour ! 

April 23.— We left Athens at half-past ten for the 
Piraeus, where we embarked in a Greek steamer, — the 
Salmena — the Ariadne having been sent round to 



196 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



meet us at the other side of the Isthmus of Corinth. 
The Royal Oak, an English man-of-war, followed, 
with the servants and luggage on board. We steamed 
out of the harbour, when the Isle of Salamis, and 
the rock on which Xerxes is supposed to have sat 
before the battle, were pointed out to us. 

We arrived at Kalimaki, on the eastern side of the 
Isthmus of Corinth, at four o'clock, and immediately 
started in a carriage and four horses for the Bay of 
New Corinth, at the opposite side. We had an escort 
of cavalry all the way, as there was a report of 
brigands being in the neighbourhood. We drove at 
a great pace, and, arriving at five o'clock, found the 
Ariadne, Psyche, and Caradoc, which had been sent 
to meet us, with two Greek yachts, waiting for us. 

The King accompanied us in the Ariadne, and we 
had a very fine passage down the Gulf of Corinth or 
Lepanto ; but, as most of the passage was by night, 
we saw nothing of the land on either side. 

April 24. — We passed Cephalonia early in the 
morning, and had Corfu itself in sight by 10 A. M. 
It was two o'clock, however, before we anchored. 

We landed exactly in front of the Palace formerly 
occupied by the English governors, and were saluted, 
on disembarking, by the few guns left by the English 
when they gave up the island. There was an immense 



THE FEAST OF ST. SPIRIDION. 



197 



crowd of people assembled at the landing-place, as 
well as all the Island officials, foreign consuls, &c, and 
the Royal Party was much cheered as they walked up 
to the Palace. Here we were received by the Queen, 
accompanied by Prince William of Gliicksburg, the 
King's uncle. 

The King and Queen, with the Prince and Princess, 
soon after left for the Casino, the villa outside the 
town where the King lives ; the suite, including 
myself, being lodged in the Palace in town. We 
are, however, expected to dine every day at the 
Casino. 

April 25. — It was a very fine day, and it being 
the day of their great feast for Saint Spiridion, the 
Patron Saint of Corfu, the town was unusually bright 
and gay. From a very early hour in the morning the 
streets were filled with people, chiefly peasants, in 
their various native holiday costumes. The women 
were wonderfully dressed out, and covered with gold 
ornaments and finery. I saw some beautiful faces 
amongst them. 

About eleven o'clock they formed regular lines on 
each side of the streets through which the Saint was 
expected to pass. This Saint Spiridion, who died 
1,500 years ago, is still kept in a glass case, with a gold 
frame, richly ornamented, and is taken out of it three 



198 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 

times a year to be carried through the streets. There 
is a long procession of clergy and priests in most 
gorgeous vestments, carrying flags and banners, and 
attended by a military escort. I thought it a horrible 
and disgusting sight, to see this old withered body, 
with its head hanging on one side, thus exposed and 
carried about. Yet these people believe so implicitly 
in its sanctity, that they bring out the sick and lay 
them on the road by which the procession is to pass. 
People of all classes join in the procession, and the 
people in the crowd never cease crossing themselves 
all the time the Saint is in sight. Several Russian 
sailors also joined in the procession, in which almost 
everybody carried a taper or a banner. The Church 
bells never ceased ringing, and guns were fired all the 
time. The Royal Party came to town to see it. 

I afterwards took a drive with some of the 
gentlemen. 

April 26. — I went out for a drive with Madame 
Theochari, one of the Queen's ladies who lives with us 
in the Palace, and was quite delighted with the beauty 
of all I saw. Nothing, indeed, can exceed the beauty 
of the Island, as far as I have yet seen it. Mr. and 
Mrs. Erskine arrived to-day in the Royal Oak from 
Athens. 

April 27. — To-day we (the suite) all went in the 




BEAUTY OF THE ISLAND. 



I 99 



steam-launch belonging to the Ariadne along the 
coast of the Island, as far as Gavino, where we landed, 
and stayed for an hour, getting back at six o'clock. 
The Prince starts to-night with some of the gentlemen 
for the Albanian Coast, in the hope of shooting a 
wild boar. 

April 28. — Madame Theochari, M. Valoarity, Mr. 
Russell and myself, made a most charming expedition 
to a place called Coropiscopas. The beauty of the 
view from this spot on all sides is not to be described, 
and we passed a most agreeable day, which we all 
thoroughly enjoyed. We started at nine in the 
morning and returned just in time for dinner. 

The shooting-party did not get back till half-past 
eight. They had killed two wild boars, and some 
other things, and seemed well pleased with their 
day's sport. 

April 29. — The King and Queen, Prince and 
Princess, with all the ladies and gentlemen of their 
respective suites, went off in several barges to visit 
the Ariadne, the Royal Oak, and a Russian frigate 
lying in the harbour. These visits occupied the 
whole afternoon. 

April 30. — At twelve o'clock to-day the whole of 
the Greek and English Royalties, with their respective 
court and suite, set out in several carriages on an 





200 JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



expedition to Renuzzi, a house in the country, 
belonging to a Count Flambourini. It is a pretty 
place, and the drive there was quite lovely. Lun- 
cheon was laid out for us in the garden, and we 
afterwards returned most agreeably to Corfu by 
water. The Prince had sent for the steam-tug 
belonging to the A riadne to tow the Royal barge, in 
which we all embarked, and got home about seven 
o'clock. We (the suite) went to the Palace to dress, 
and returned by boat to the Casino, where we dined 
as usual. 

May I. — I was invited to lunch at the Casino, to 
which I went out accordingly. After luncheon, 
Madame Theochari and M. Valoarity again took me 
a beautiful drive to a place called Cucarizza. It is 
impossible to do justice by any description to the 
exceeding beauty of this island. The drives are end- 
less — one more lovely than another. The scenery is 
really grand, and the valleys, full of orange-trees, 
date, mulberry, and fig-trees, look like a richly-culti- 
vated garden. 

As we were to leave Corfu this evening, after 
dinner, we had made all our arrangements, finished 
our packing, &c, before going out to the Casino to 
dine. At eleven o'clock we went straight on board 
Xh.<t Ariadne, accompanied by the King, Queen, &c. 



DEPARTURE FROM CORFU. 



201 



It was a lovely night, and as soon as the King and 
Queen had bid good-by to the Prince and Princess, 
and had left the ship, we at once prepared to get 
under weigh. The sight before we left was really 
lovely. There was a great display of fireworks from 
the ships, the masts and yards of the Ariadne and 
Royal Oak being all dressed with red and blue lights. 
The effect was beautiful ; but our pleasure was marred 
by a sad accident that occurred just as the illumina- 
tions were over. One of the sailors fell overboard — 
it is supposed as he was coming down from one of 
the yards, but it was only known by hearing the 
splash as he fell into the water. A boat was instantly 
lowered ; but, in all probability, he had struck some- 
thing, and been stunned in his fall, for, though the 
most careful search was made, nothing could ever be 
seen or heard of him. This sad event threw a gloom 
over everybody. It was a lad of seventeen or eighteen 
years of age. This delayed our departure a good 
while, and it was one o'clock before we finally left the 
harbour. 

May 2. — We arrived at Brindisi, after an excel- 
lent passage, between two and three o'clock in the 
afternoon. The King of Italy had sent gentlemen 
of his household to meet us, who, with all the local 
authorities, received us on landing, and conducted us 



202 



JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO EGYPT, ETC. 



to the special train which had been prepared for us, 
and in which we immediately took our departure. 
But here I will close my long history. Our travels 
in the East are, alas ! at an end ; we are again in 
civilized Europe, with all the monotony of its every- 
day life, and no interest would attach to a record of 
the places at which we stopped to eat, or of the 
official persons who met us at various stations during 
a journey of twenty-five hours without stopping 
from Brindisi to Turin. We arrived there at half- 
past three on Monday, May 3rd, and left it again at 
half-past eight on the 4th, and travelling without 
stopping, except for something less than an hour at 
St. Michel, arrived at Paris at a quarter before nine 
on the 5 th. 

The only part of our journey to which I would 
give a passing word, is the crossing of Mont Cenis. 
Changing at Suza into carriages made expressly for 
the passage of the mountain, we completed the ascent 
in about two hours, and most interesting I found it. 
The sharp turns which the road makes in winding up 
the mountain's side, the fearful precipices on every 
side of us, the avalanches and immense drifts of snow 
which we passed, kept one all the way in a state of 
nervous excitement and admiration. 

May 12. — YVe remained in Paris from the fifth 




RETURN TO ENGLAND. 



203 



till yesterday evening, in the usual round of visits, 
dinners, reviews, &c, and were treated, it is needless 
to say, with the most marked distinction by the 
Emperor and Empress. At half-past six yesterday 
evening we left on our return to England, and arrived 
at the Charing Cross station at half-past six this 
morning. 

All that now remained was to bid farewell to all 
our pleasant travelling companions, and for each to 
betake himself or herself to their respective homes 
and occupations. Our tour is now a thing of the past 
I can answer for no one but myself ; but if the past 
four months have been the source of as much pleasure 
to others, as they have been to me, I am sure that 
they will feel the same sorrow that I do, in thinking 
that they are come to an end. 



A 




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